Subtle Flame
by AtomicNebula13
Summary: Morinozuka Takashi wasn't a forthright man, he couldn't woo the ladies the way Tamaki or the twins could, but what he could provide was a subtle armor to the one he held dear.  HaruhiXMori.  Rated for violence and suggestive themes in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club, nor do I own any of its members. They belong to Bisco Hatori, without whom this fic wouldn't even be possible because I would have never been introduced to the wonderful characters she has given to us. : ) **

**Warning! Spoilers if you have not read up to Volume 15 of the manga, my story follows the manga NOT the anime, so Haruhi was never revealed to be a female at the fair.**

Hello all! Haruhi and Mori are my favorite pairing from this particular anime/manga, I think they complement each other fairly well. Hopefully I do them justice with this story. Please review if you feel inclined to do so, I hope you enjoy!

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_**Chapter 1**_

_**Change**_

Not many thoughts were running through the mind of one, Haruhi Fujioka, as she walked… trudged, was more like it, towards the dojo at Ouran University. The last thing she wanted to do at the end of her long days of cramming legal jargon into her head was to exercise. She had always been a lazy person, by nature, never looking to do more than loaf about her house in her sweats, do some laundry, or read quietly. Physical activity didn't exactly agree with her nor did getting covered in sweat and she found herself becoming more irritable lately. Her notoriously short span of patience was now at an all time low and those around her were suffering for it.

She stopped in front of the dressing room at the gym labeled, "womens". She chuckled quietly to herself as she entered, not too long ago, everyone except the members of the host club and Kasanoda-kun had believed she was a boy. Haruhi had somehow managed to make it through her entire high school career without being discovered, though there had been a few close calls along the way.

On graduation day, she had asked the Chairman to announce her as "Ms." Haruhi Fujioka. She no longer had to fake her gender, since she would no longer be a member of the host club and had long since paid off her debt. In fact, she found out that she had paid off her debt halfway through her second year, though Kyoya had conveniently forgotten to share that bit of information with her. Even after she had discovered this discrepancy, she did not leave the host club, choosing instead to continue on with everyone. After Tamaki and Kyoya graduated they left the club in Haruhi and the twins hands, to carry it on and manage it however they saw fit. She had never defined herself by her gender anyway, so she didn't mind if everyone around her thought she was a male, never looking to correct the others perception of her. What was really important was the person behind the gender.

Though she wouldn't dare admit it aloud, she truly cherished the time she spent with the boys while they were all in school and the relationships she forged with them. She did, however, regret one of the relationships that took on a different shape later on down the line…

She shook her head, willing images of a certain spastic blonde to leave her. She didn't have time to think of him right now, she was already late as it was, and if she knew Mori-senpai, which she did, it would mean several extra drills for her.

She swept her hair, which was now able to reach her shoulder blades, into a ponytail, she pinned her bangs back so they wouldn't hang in her face while she worked. She dressed quickly, tying off the belt to her gi and tying her hakama before she quickly padded down the hallway and into the dojo.

She crept into the room silently, all of the other students were kneeling in their places, their eyes closed and heads bowed as they waited for their sensei's to enter the room and for their lesson to begin. Upon seeing their instructors had yet to arrive, she scrambled to take her seat next to her favorite blonde haired candy fanatic.

"Haru-chan…" Honey whispered to her, in his usual sing song voice, though it had become a tad bit deeper in the years since he had graduated high school. This was his usual way of greeting her but today his tone held a very distinct hint of mockery.

Haruhi ignored him until she was in the exact same position he was, she wanted to make sure she was in the correct pose for when their sensei entered the room.

"What is it?" she asked, her question coming out a tad more scathing than she had meant it to. She got the distinct feeling he was up to something.

It seemed since the years that he graduated he also began to adopt a more mischevious attitude as well, though nowhere near as bad as Hikaru and Kaoru.

"He's gonna know…" He said, again in his angelic voice as a cheeky smile graced his lips, finally opening his eyes and giving her a sidelong glance.

"Not if you keep your mouth shut. If you don't say anything I'll make sure to buy you some cakes after class today, deal?" she told him in a hushed tone.

She peeked out the corner of her eyes at the clock on the wall, then back at her friend to see his reaction. Any second now…

"Deal!" the smaller of the two squeaked, a little too loudly, jumping up triumphantly from his place on the floor.

"Honey-kun, be quiet." she hissed, sending him an icy glare that immediately sent him into a fit of hysterics. Large crocodile tears rolled down his face and he sniffled a bit, other students in the room were now starting to look in their direction. Some faces held looks of amusement, while others just looked plain irritated.

"Waaaaaaaaaah! Haru-chan, you're so mean!" he wailed, throwing himself on to his back and kicking his legs.

Haruhi wondered how, at the age of twenty, Honey could put most toddlers to shame with the temper tantrums he threw. She crawled over to him trying in vain to get the small man to calm down.

After another second or two of wailing, Honey sat straight up and resumed his kneeling position just in time for Mori-senpai to walk through the doors, the assistant instructor, Katsu, in tow a few steps behind him. Haruhi, however, had not been able to correct her position and she had to scramble back to it.

'_What the hell? Does he have some sort of family radar in that fuzzy little head of his?_'

Mori, of course, took note of the fact that Haruhi was not prepared as she had been instructed to be several times before. He caught her gaze, raising his eyebrows, letting her know that he would revisit her discrepancy when he was finished addressing the class.

After the greetings and announcements were made he set everyone up in pairs for the opening drills. Though he was a man of few words, he took his position as sensei very seriously so he made sure to be clear and concise when he did speak. Letting everyone know exactly what he expected of them so there would be no margin for error.

For the most part he stuck to the curriculum that was set out for him to teach but every once in a while he would take it upon himself to conduct a different sort of lesson. Mori had always been encouraged by his own instructors to use the knowledge he learned in class in his everyday life and that always struck a chord with him. He felt he should apply that same wisdom to his own teaching sessions. The last thing he wanted was for his students to get bored with redundant exercises and monotonous moral lessons. So, every now and again he would pair students up against someone they wouldn't normally fight in a regulated judo match. In reality, you didn't get the luxury of fighting someone you actually had a chance of winning against. You went up against people of all shapes and sizes so he made sure to pair up students who wouldn't necessarily face each other in a regulated judo match, but could very well meet each other in a street fight.

There was, of course, one exception to this, Haruhi. Mori didn't allow her to spar with anyone besides Mitskuni or himself. It was for her own protection, really. Now that she had been exposed as a female, her male suitors had increased tenfold, far more than she ever had in middle school. No longer was it just the members of the host club that loved her and vied for her affections. He was unable to discern just how many confessions she got per week, but she always refused. Most men had taken it in stride and gracefully accepted her gentle rejection, happy enough to remain on good enough terms with her to be friends. Though Haruhi was still fairly oblivious when it came to people's feelings, especially when they concerned her but she was getting better. She had at least learned the finesse needed when letting someone down easy. She knew a confession when she heard one, she didn't want to repeat the same mistake she had made with Arai all those years ago, he assumed.

However, some men were unable to leave her alone, even after they had been politely declined by her. One very stupid or very lucky man depending on how you looked at it had even used force against her. That particular man was exactly where he belonged now, in the psychiatric ward of a maximum security prison. Probably for longer than necessary on the charges he faced but when the Ootori private police force gets involved, as they did in this case, punishment was rarely minor.

That incident was what had finally convinced Haruhi that she absolutely had to take self defense classes and she had finally accepted the offer that Mistkuni and Mori offered to her several times before in the past. All of the host members urged her to do so as well, so she eventually relented.

So, to avoid any sort of altercation with anyone Mitskuni and he decided that Haruhi would only learn judo from the two of them. This was expressed and understood by the entire class, which outside of her, was entirely male. Funny enough, they all formed a mini task force to keep Haruhi out of harms way while she was on campus, all without her knowledge of course. They knew she didn't relish the idea of feeling weak. Everyone cared for her, it was funny how even with a slightly standoffish personality, she was able to invoke such devotion from those around her. Himself included.

Haruhi wasn't enrolled in the class for any sort of college credits so she didn't follow the curriculum the way the others did. She was, however, required to follow the same rules and disciplines as the others, which included getting to class on time. Mori knew without being told that she was late to class again today, for the split second their eyes had met in his silent chastisement of her posture he had seen it. She gave herself away, without ever speaking a word.

After walking around the room to ensure that all of his pupils were performing their judo correctly he sauntered over to Haruhi and Mitskuni, both were now standing waiting for his instruction. Mitskuni had a wide smile plastered on his face and as Mori drew closer he launched himself at the taller of the pair. Mori caught with him ease before swinging the blonde around and perching him atop his shoulders. Mori tried gently to break his cousin of some of his childish behaviors since they had begun to go to University, knowing that in the business world people would not take him seriously if he acted on his childish impulses, but he found things were easier said than done.

Mitskuni, however, had made some dramatic strides toward adulthood. He had reduced the amount of sweets he ingested a great deal, but that still put him at about 50% more than any normal human being could conceivably consume. He no longer carried Usa-chan to school unless he was feeling under the weather, an agreement they came to together. The one habit he had been unsuccessful in curbing was his climbing and need to be carried. Truth be told, Mori didn't really want that to stop. He'd lived most of his life with the smaller man perched atop his shoulders or on his back and it was a great comfort to him that this was something Mitskuni couldn't seem to stop either.

All in all it seemed that Mitskuni was thriving in his business studies, hoping to fulfill his dream of bringing the Haninozuka family into the toy making industry. The only thing that Mori thought might suit the petite man more would be to own a bakery… but you couldn't do business if none of the cakes actually made it to the shelf for sale so it was just as well that he was looking to enter the toy industry.

"Takashi!" Honey squealed as he nuzzled his cheek into the hair on his cousin's head.

Mori simply grunted his greeting before staring down into the large, chocolate brown eyes of his favorite pupil. She didn't know that of course, he kept that his little secret.

"You were late." He said, his monotone voice held no malice or trace of irritation. Just simply stating a fact.

Haruhi resisted the urge to grumble or fidget. Mori-senpai was a man of few words but she had known him long enough to hear the words he didn't speak. For someone who rarely spoke his words carried far more weight then what he had vocalized. What he meant to say was "You were late and you are going to spend every second that you were tardy sweating."

Mori-senpai was surprisingly firm when it came to teaching, in a way that he wasn't in any other facet of his life that she knew of. He took his job as sensei seriously, she knew, and because of that he made sure she understood the weight of the consequences for when she did anything wrong.

"Um… I'm sorry Mori-senpai. I got caught up studying in the library again. It won't happen again."

Mori resisted the urge to sigh heavily… He understood if she was sorry but she didn't have to lie. It would happen again, he knew that. It happened at least once a week, she would get caught up in a text that had an interesting case in it and she would be unable to put it down until she dissected every last aspect of the event. It was difficult to be angry with her for that, her devotion to becoming a great lawyer. She had an amazing drive, he just wished she put some of that enthusiasm that she had for law into her self defense classes. As soon as he felt confident enough in her abilities he would let her know it wasn't necessary for her to continue but he could tell that her heart wasn't really in it. That upset him, didn't she have any sense of self preservation? After all, he and Mitskuni were doing this for her sake.

"What will we teach her today Takashi? More defense? Or maybe… maybe we can teach her some offense, ne?" Honey chirped, eager to get started with their lesson. This happened to be his favorite part of the day when he was able to spend time with the two people he loved the most.

"Defense" came the simple reply. Until she mastered her defense, he wouldn't teach her any offense.

He would be teaching her something new today and he wasn't sure just how she would react to it. He wanted to teach her how to disarm an attacker who had a weapon. He was fully intending on letting Mitskuni handle this lesson because he knew she would be less intimidated by his stature. Mori didn't want Haruhi to be frightened of him, he couldn't bring himself to attack her in this sort of fashion.

Mori moved towards the wall that held the various props they used in self defense class and pulled down a wooden object, meant to represent a knife and handed it to Honey.

"Today Haruhi needs to learn how to disarm an attacker." His cool voice commanded.

Honey's eyes met his cousins for just a moment, then flashed with understanding, he would be the one teaching today's lesson. Takashi would just be watching and critiquing.

Haruhi had not said a word but they could both read the apprehension and anxiety in her eyes. She didn't want to do this, they could tell, but she had to. They couldn't be with her 24 hours a day to protect her if something were to go wrong again, last time had been too close.

"It'll be okay Haru-chan. Takashi and I will teach you how. If it gets to be too much just tell us, okay?"

"O-okay, Honey-kun. Thank you." She replied, her voice a little more shaky than she intended it to be.

After a quick tutorial from Mori and Honey, Haruhi was thrown against Honey to try to defend herself. Several attempts were made on her part to disarm Honey but all to no avail. The three had stayed long after the rest of the class had been dismissed for the day but they stopped when Haruhi made it known that she was at her limit, unable to continue. She was too exhausted both physically and mentally from this current assignment.

Haruhi felt like a complete and utter failure. Not once had she been able to properly disarm her attacker… at this rate she could easily be mugged or worse, she knew full well what could be worse, she already lived through that once. Feeling dejected and absolutely exhausted she bowed to both boys before she headed back to the locker room. She dressed mechanically, not bothering to shower, she would do that once she got home. All she really wanted now was a hot bath, something to eat and to go to bed and forget about the rotten day she'd had.

Exiting the locker room she saw both Honey and Mori-senpai speaking to one another, the taller of the two had his brow furrowed, a slight frown on his face. Haruhi was disturbed to see her senpai have such an expression gracing his features so she walked towards them, hoping to determine what was wrong.

Upon noticing her presence the men ceased their conversation and Mori's face slipped back into the mask of indifference that he usually wore while Honey's bright smile lit up his face, his eyes sparkling as he looked at her.

"Is everything alright, senpai?" she asked, concern shining in her bright eyes.

He nodded once at her, placing his large hand on her head "Aa. You did well today."

She felt her cheeks burn at his praise, the corners of her mouth quirking up in a ghost of a smile. She certainly didn't feel she deserved his words of adoration. She had not been able to do anything right today, it seemed, but his approval seemed to wash a little of that insufficient feeling away.

His eyes softened a bit as he saw her smile. He could tell something was off today, something was bothering her, but they would try again next week. He knew that until she got this right she would continue to try. Haruhi, when it came to her friends, would do anything.

"Are you heading home now, Haru-chan? Can I walk you there? You know, maybe we can stop by that sweets shop and get some cakes!" Honey shouted, while putting his very best puppy dog eyes in place, looking more innocent and adorable than any man had a right to.

"Okay, I suppose there is no harm in that. I do owe you a cake anyway since you didn't tell senpai I was late, even though he found out anyway." Her eyes narrowed a fraction as the words left her mouth. She just had to know.

"Mori-senpai, how did you know that I was late today?" she inquired, genuinely curious as to how he could have known since he had not actually entered the dojo for a handful of minutes after she had.

He shrugged, refusing to meet her gaze, as if saying 'I have my ways'. Haruhi quirked a slender eyebrow at him that very clearly relayed the message that this answer would not suffice and someday she would find out exactly how he knew.

He smiled at her then, his perfect white teeth showing a little from between his lips, one of his genuine smiles that he only gave to Honey and Haruhi.

Haruhi could not contain the smile that blossomed on her face as well, almost the mirror image of his own. It always warmed her heart to be on the receiving end of one of Mori-senpai's smiles. They were rare, elusive, which made them all the more beautiful. She could count on one hand the number of times she had been able to gaze upon his smiling face, they were her precious little treasures.

Honey watched silently as the two spoke without ever opening their mouths. He couldn't help but be astonished by the silent conversations the two were now able to have. He never thought anyone other than himself would know Takashi the way he did. He never thought anyone would ever be able to understand their stoic giant the way he did, but somehow, when he wasn't looking, Haruhi had learned his silent language and had begun to strengthen their relationship.

The thought delighted him, that Takashi was becoming closer to others outside of their immediate family, finding other people that were important to him. People that he cherished.

His eyes moved to the sky as he noticed a few grey clouds blocking out the sun, casting eerie shadows upon the campus just outside the building. He couldn't be sure if It would rain or not but he didn't necessarily want to get caught in it. He grabbed Haruhi's arm, tugging lightly. "Let's go, Haru-chan! I'm feeling a bit peckish…"

She smiled at her friends antics, 'peckish' meant he was hungry and she couldn't help it as the image of Mori-senpai's beloved chick, Piyo-chan popped into her head. Her little friend was very much like senpai's chick had been.

"Alright, alright, we'll go. Will you be joining us senpai?" she asked, half hoping that he would say yes. As much as she enjoyed Honey's company, he could be overwhelming and restless at times and the only person who could get him under control was Mori-senpai. That was part of the reason she wished to have him accompany the, the other, stronger desire was for him to be close to her, though she quashed the feeling as soon as it arose.

The taller man shook his head from side to side, indicating that he would not be joining them for the time being. There were a few things he needed to straighten up around the dojo before he was able to leave for the day.

"I see. Well then, I'll be taking Honey-kun with me. If you'd like, feel free to stop by on your way home." She said before turning with Honey to walk towards the little sweets shop that was just a block away from her apartment.

"Hey, Hey, Haru-chan! Let's hold hands on the way home!" he said, not waiting for her to agree before taking her hand in his own and that was how they stayed until they reached their destination.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Once again, Bisco Hatori owns Ouran High School Host Club and all of it's members. I do not.**

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_**CHAPTER 2**_

_**Depraved Motivation**_

Mori watched for a few moments as the pair made their way down the street before turning to walk back to the dojo. Grabbing a broom from the closet on the far wall, he began to sweep the floor, he allowed his mind to wander to the diminutive brunette that he had come to care so deeply about.

Haruhi had grown, the fact was undeniable and just as it had saddened him when Mitskuni had begun to mature, it saddened him to see Haruhi do the same. Looking at her now, you would never guess that she had been mistaken as a boy for her entire high school career. Her chestnut hair now fell to the tops of her shoulder blades, her bangs swept to one side of her face, her large chocolate brown orbs were still as bright and clear as ever, that same soft innocence still shone from them from time to time.

She had grown a few more centimeters but she was still tiny compared to him and even though most of the time her choice of clothing was still gender ambiguous, every now and then a dress would find its way into her rotation and that was when, to his chagrin, he had noticed her breasts had grown just a bit. Of course, it wasn't her physical maturation that had displeased him, it was the fact that he noticed such an intimate detail about his friend. But even so, those were Mori's favorite days, when Haruhi would wear a dress. She was far too cute to waste her time dressing in ill fitting sweatshirts and gym shorts but that's just the way she was. She had grown up in a gender ambiguous home and it rubbed off on her, which usually wasn't a bad thing. For the most part, he agreed with her philosophy that defining herself as a human being was more important than defining herself as male or female but sometimes that philosophy didn't apply.

Before Haruhi had walked up to them, he and Mitskuni were discussing her progress. Neither one of them thought she was progressing as quickly as she should have been so the small blonde had suggested teaching her just a touch of offense to see if that sparked any desire within her to learn. Mori didn't exactly agree with that, what were the odds that Haruhi would ever be one to provoke a fight? Had it been anyone else he wouldn't have let his usual indifference be broken, but he could share how he really felt with Mitskuni. He wasn't sure what good it would do to teach her any forms of offense when she couldn't even get the simplest defense down so he consented to at least think it over to placate the smaller man.

He and Mitskuni decided to meet up tomorrow to hash out a new curriculum for Haruhi, one that would work this time. They were both committed and determined to seeing this through. She possessed the potential to succeed, she just needed to see it was there.

He was brought back to the present as he soon realized he was not alone and he turned his head just slightly in the direction of the person, he already knew who it was. Katsu, the assistant sensei, stood just a few feet away smiling broadly at him. The expression unnerved him, Mori was sure that the words that came out of his mouth were going to annoy him.

"So… doesn't look like Fujioka is doing so well with this self defense thing, huh?" he said, his smile not wavering in the slightest as he spoke, as if he found some sort of amusement in his comment.

Mori chose not to answer the man, he wasn't sure if Katsu had even expected a reply. It wasn't very often that he spoke to anyone outside of the host club members unless it was absolutely necessary so most people tended to not even attempt conversation with him. Of course all the students in the course knew of Haruhi's situation and why he and Mitskuni were trying to teach her defense skills. In fact, the whole University knew what happened to her. Most students offered their help out of genuine concern for her but Katsu… Mori got the distinct feeling that he held ulterior motives.

In truth, he had never really liked the boy, which in a way made him feel guilty. He had no just reason to be wary of him, the man had never done him any wrong. Indeed, Katsu was exceptionally skilled in both the art of kendo and judo, that fact was undeniable which is exactly why he had been appointed the assistant master for the dojo but there was something off about him. Even with his abilities he was never able to reach the top spot in any of the national championships he participated in, he would always end up losing to someone whose talents weren't as developed as his. This issue had plagued Mori all throughout his years at Ouran, really ever since he had met the younger man but the one thing that bothered him more than anything else, what put his nerves on end and caused him to keep his guard up was the fact that he could never get a clear read on the man's heart.

His father, who had taught him everything he knew about kendo, had also taught him many other things as well. Akira Morinozuka, had taught his son Takashi, that strength and skill with a sword were not the only characteristics that made someone strong. Keeping true to his morals, carrying oneself with honor and dignity, these were also very important in the quest to become stronger. His father had assured him that if he could keep a clear, sound mind and a true and virtuous heart, he would certainly bring honor to the next generation of Morinozuka's, that he would be strong.

For as long as Mori could remember, the one and only thing he ever hoped or wished for in his life, was for the ones he cared about to be protected. For that reason alone he always strived to become stronger. Through years of meditation he was able to keep his mind and heart clear but there was one side affect he had not counted on. It seemed his years of silence made his sense of perception highly sensitive, he was acutely cognizant to the feelings of others. This offered him the ability to read the hearts of other's, able to clearly decipher intentions, desires, and thoughts. This was how he had known that Ritsu Kasanoda was a good person, despite his family's gangster ties.

But Katsu… Katsu's heart was unreadable. His aura always seemed clouded. It was as if some energy was constantly twisting and skewing his intentions and for that reason alone he never felt comfortable with the man.

At the older man's silence, Katsu's smile only grew wider, he could tell his senpai didn't wish to speak about this and the discomfort it caused pleased him so he decided to push further.

"Maybe I should try working with her next week? Perhaps, she isn't taking it seriously because her friends are the ones teaching her?" he offered seemingly offhanded, knowing what his senpai's answer would be. Morinozuka NEVER let anyone outside of himself or Haninozuka to touch Fujioka and with good reason.

She was the most desired girl in all of Ouran University.

Mori's head snapped up at the other man's suggestion, he could read the amusement in Katsu's eyes and he had to try very hard to calm the blood that was now boiling in his veins. It wasn't easy to get a rise out of him but Katsu was doing a fine job of it. His face, however, gave nothing away.

Katsu had done that on purpose. If there was one person in the entire world that he would never allow to touch Haruhi, it was Katsu. It was obvious now, Katsu did indeed have an ulterior motive with this conversation. He wanted a reason to get close to Haruhi… Mori would not allow that to happen.

"No. Mitskuni and I will continue working with her." He responded, his steely eyes holding the other man's gaze. He moved towards Katsu until he was standing directly in front of him, towering over the smaller man in a way that would have made anyone else back away in intimidation. He handed the smaller man the broom before saying "I have something I need to attend to. Could you finish cleaning up?"

Katsu's careful smile faltered for just a moment at his senpai's request before he was able to replace it. "No problem, Senpai! Leave it to me!" his voice was deceptively cheerful, masking the malevolence he truly felt. In all honesty, he felt this sort of task was beneath him but in the position he was in now, it was impossible for him to argue.

Mori nodded his head once in appreciation before walking towards the locker room. He grabbed his gym bag, his keys and his jacket and headed out the door. He walked at a brisk pace, as fast as he could without running in the direction of Haruhi's apartment. He wasn't sure why, but he just felt in his heart that he needed to get there.

Katsu's attitude and demeanor had unnerved him.

Katsu watched the retreating form of his sensei, he began to snicker, the action forcing the smile on his lips to contort into a sinister sneer. Soon, he would have that man on his knees before him, begging and broken.

For Katsu's entire teenage and adult life he had been compared to Takashi Morinozuka. At first, he had enjoyed the correlation that others pointed out between them. They were both highly skilled in the art of kendo and for a while Morinozuka was his idol, he strived to be just like him.

But not soon after he had begun to admire the older boy, did the comparisons take a turn. He would always hear "You're very talented but you lack spirit. Try to be more like Morinozuka." That was the moment his admiration changed, distorting into a resentment that he kept carefully veiled hidden from everyone he knew.

Why was Morinozuka so much better than him? Why couldn't he excel to the same level?

His sensei told him he needed to start meditating so that he could learn to be strong willed but it just wasn't for him, he couldn't ever concentrate long enough. What did they mean he lacked spirit?

He swore to himself that one day, he would surpass Morinozuka, no matter what it took. He was weary of always coming in behind the older man, convinced that he was better no matter what Morinozuka's many championships said. The opportunity had never arisen when they had attended the same high school but it seemed here at University his luck was beginning to turn. At first, he had never intended to involve anyone innocent in his personal ambitions but it seemed that Haruhi Fujioka would give him the perfect amount of leverage against Mori. It didn't hurt that she was cute, either. That would just make it all the more fun…

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With the introduction of the antagonist, Katsu, and his sinister motivation Mori will have to keep his instincts sharp to keep Haruhi out of harms way. Will he be able to? Only one way to find out, new chapter should be posted sometime early next week! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY aspect of Ouran High School Host Club, characters or otherwise, nor do I make any profit from this story. It's purely for fun. Everything belongs to Bisco Hatori, thanks to her we are all able to share these fantastic characters!**

Hello All! I really wasn't going to post the next chapter until next week but I've been getting some really nice comments and reviews on the story so you've encouraged me to upload chapter 3. For everyone who has read so far THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! You really have no idea how much I adore you and appreciate your support. :)

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_**CHAPTER 3**_

_**Quiet Consideration**_

Haruhi bustled around the kitchen cleaning up the dirty dishes that she and Honey had created. The small blonde had eaten two whole cakes to himself, while Haruhi had limited herself to just one piece of the strawberry cake. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy sweets, she did, just in moderation, a word that didn't seem to be in Honey's vocabulary. To her surprise, there was actually some cake left over so she returned it to the box and set it on the counter. She would send it home with Honey when he left.

She peeked into the living room to see how her house guest was doing. He was sprawled out on the floor, snoring quietly, Usa-chan, seemingly produced out of nowhere, was tucked into the crook of his arm. She was surprised that even now he still took naps in the middle of the day. Not wanting him to catch a cold, she padded down the hallway to the closet and pulled out one of her blankets. She spread it over his sleeping form and in his sleep he sighed in contentment. She reached down and brushed a few stray locks of his golden hair from his face. It amazed her that even though he was older, he still seemed so small, so much like a young child. It was times like these when she could see why Mori-senpai spent so much of his time devoted to this small man. He was absolutely adorable.

After she had graduated from Ouran, a lot of the members of the host club had gone their separate ways but none of them ever lost touch. Hikaru and Kaoru she could see every day if she wanted to. All you had to do was look at one of the thousands of billboards that held their smiling faces. They had gone into modeling after they were discovered by a talent scout that had witnessed their "brotherly love" act in full effect. The woman, moved to tears by their performance, had offered them a contract on the spot and ever since they had been cast in several advertisements, commercials, and fashion shows. The work was fast paced and hectic, they were constantly meeting new people, perfect for the pair who tired of others quickly. It provided them with new 'toys' to play with.

Kyoya, of course, was in medical school preparing to take over his family's company. He took some of his courses at Ouran University while gaining hands on training in his father's hospital as well. Ironically, he didn't wish to pursue the business aspect of the family corporation, which Haruhi assumed was a slight to his father, though he never would admit that, instead he chose to focus more on the medical field. He wanted to become a doctor. His father had finally realized the brilliance of his third son and so he was very busy, but he kept in touch with her. They exchanged e-mails often and when he was able he met up with her for lunch or tea, usually about once a month. Since they had graduated from high school, the walls that Kyoya had built around him began to crumble, little by little he let her in and she now thought of him as a dear friend. He was more than just the calculated, egoist that he wanted others to believe he was.

Then, there was Tamaki. Tamaki was being trained by the Suou family heads, his father and grandmother, so that one day, the reins of the company could be transferred to him. He was excelling, his fresh ideas and unrelenting desire to help others fueling him, breathing new life into a company that had been steeped in strict tradition. He tried to speak to Haruhi at least once a day, bombarding her inbox with text messages that were heavily laden with emoticons that went largely ignored by her. She had no interest in speaking with him at the moment, there was nothing to say.

Finally, there was Honey and Mori-senpai. Both seemed delighted when she had decided to attend the same University they did. Honey had gone into a business course that would put him on the fast track to opening his own toy company and Mori-senpai had accepted a position instructing both kendo and judo to the new students until he graduated. After that, he intended on travelling the world, learning world religions and philosophy. She couldn't think of anything more appropriate for her stoic friend because she knew though he was quiet, he was incredibly insightful.

Upon her entrance to the University, Honey had insisted that she drop 'senpai' from his name when she addressed him stating "We've known each other for so long Haru-chan! You don't need to call me senpai anymore." To which she had begrudgingly agreed, but she had been unable to remove an honorific from his name completely so she went with 'Honey-kun' which seemed to satisfy him well enough. She still referred to Mori as Mori-senpai, especially since he was the sensei at the dojo that she went to. She felt it would be inappropriate if she were to refer to him too casually, though she wished she could.

Haruhi found it funny that she had become closest in recent months to the two oldest members seeing as she spent the least amount of time with them while in high school. Now she couldn't imagine going too long without seeing Honey-kun or Mori-senpai. On average she saw them almost every single day but it never felt daunting to spend time with them. Honey's smiling disposition in contrast to Mori-senpai's resigned quiet nature did make for a refreshing combination. It was no wonder they had been so popular while in the host club.

When she was convinced that Honey would be out of commission for at least an hour or so, she decided that she would take a bath to soothe her aching muscles. Even though she had been an undeniable and utter failure in class today she had still tried hard. She just didn't have the coordination it took to be good with martial arts and she hated the idea that she was disappointing her friends with her inability to learn. Honestly, when the boys first put the offer on the table to teach her some self defense after the incident at Nekozawa-senpai's beach house she was completely uninterested, but after what happened last year... she knew it was best if she learned how to protect herself.

But, even though she was putting her all into the techniques she couldn't perform them correctly.

She sighed as she rose from her place on the floor and headed to the bathroom, grabbing a towel along the way. She was happy that she had gotten her own apartment, she wouldn't have to worry about her father coming home to a boy sleeping on their living room floor, not that he would ever fly into a rage over Honey-kun. He was the least offensive, from a father's standpoint, out of all of her friends.

When she had informed her father that she would be living on her own while she attended University he had thrown a monumental fit, begging her not to leave him. Only after hours of gentle arguing, she promised to visit him once a week and cook him dinner had he let her go, grudgingly. For the most part, living on her own agreed with her completely. It provided her with the quiet solitude she had always strived for and enjoyed.

The only time she had any issues were, of course, during thunderstorms.

After scrubbing herself clean, washing away the failures of her day she lowered herself into the warm, inviting water of the furo. She was enveloped in the warmth of the water, she sank lower so that her entire body was covered, except for her head. She could feel her muscles begin to unwind, relaxing she allowed her mind to wander to the one thing she had been avoiding all day. Tamaki.

She and the excitable blonde tried their hand at a relationship but things just didn't work out. Contrary to everyone's belief, Tamaki had not been unfaithful to her. He wasn't rude or unkind or neglectful either. If anything, he spent too much time around her, doted on her too much. That was the problem. She couldn't get any time to herself and when she was with him she always felt the need to entertain him in some way. Tamaki was slowly suffocating her, robbing her of her own sense of self. He was too much like a child, she couldn't keep up with him so she had to break it off.

They were just two completely different people.

She still cared deeply for him but her romantic feelings for him had subsided, converting into fondness, but not love. His feeling for her, on the other hand, had not relented and he spent quite a bit of time, and to her dismay money, on trying to get back into her favor. That was why she decided to stop responding to his text messages and e-mails. She wanted him to be able to move on, to let go of whatever he thought they were or could be. They weren't meant to be, no matter how badly he wanted them to.

She heaved a sigh before drifting below the water one last time. She surfaced again and stepped out of the tub. She wasn't sure how long she had been soaking but she was sure it had been too long. Her fingers looked like prunes and her skin was a vibrant pink color from the heat of the water, steam rose in thin tendrils from her body.

Wrapping her towel around her small frame she slipped her feet into her house slippers and walked quickly down the hallway to her room. She dressed in a pair of shorts and her favorite sweatshirt. She ran her brush through her hair a few times, working out any tangles that she could. Some days she truly missed having her short hair, it was so much easier to maintain. Perhaps when spring arrived she would cut it off again, she might be ready for a change by then anyway. She applied a small amount of moisturizer to her face, hands, elbows and knees. The winter had been severely brutal this season and even though it was drawing to a close it was still very cold, her naturally soft skin was suffering because of that. Not that she cared how her skin looked or how soft it was, the cold air was drying her out, making it itch so she took care to make sure she kept it moisturized to decrease the discomfort. Once that task had been completed she wrapped her towel around her slim shoulders to shield her sweatshirt from her damp hair.

Haruhi shuffled back to the common area of her apartment, Honey was in exactly the same place she had left him, except he had moved to lay on his side. Haruhi decided not to disturb him, he looked peaceful, almost angelic. She peered out the window and noted that the heavens had opened up and it was now raining. She was praying that it would just be a simple shower, she didn't have the strength to ride out a thunderstorm today, she was already drained as it was. She felt that a cup of tea might calm her jittery nerves so she set about putting her kettle on the stovetop. She brought down two of her teacups from the cupboard so she would be able to offer Honey some when he woke up. Just as her water was coming to a boil she heard three sharp knocks on her front door.

Her brow furrowed as she made her way to the door. She wasn't expecting any visitors that she knew of, Honey was already here and she knew Tamaki was in France visiting his mother so she couldn't think of who it could be. Perhaps it was her landlady?

She quickly unlocked the door, opening it just a fraction so she could see who it was. Upon realizing who was there, she swung the door open wide, a small gasp escaping her lips.

"Ah, Mori-senpai! Come in, it's raining!"

He was standing in front of her door, soaked from head to toe. She could see his breath form into a fog in front of his face as his chest rose and fell, she could only imagine how cold he must be, his lips were slightly tinged blue. His dark hair was plastered to his head, his clothes clung to him like a second skin, leaving little to the imagination. His gym bag hung over his right shoulder, his jacket hung in his hand and she wondered why he had not donned it to shield himself from the bitter cold rain of the afternoon.

She honestly didn't expect to see him here, even though she had extended an invitation to him as she had done so many times in the past, this was the first time he had ever accepted it.

Mori reached down to take off his shoes before entering Haruhi's apartment. Since she had moved this was only the second time he had actually been to her apartment, the first time had been just after her accident when both he and Mitskuni had made sure she would be fine on her own. She invited him over often but he always thought she did so out of courtesy, so he always declined the offer. Upon his first visit he didn't even bother to look around the place. His eyes swept over the space in silent appraisal. It was very similar to the apartment she had shared with her father, except the kitchen and living area were more open. He noted a pile of assorted packages of all colors and unopened gifts that seemed to have been abandoned and forgotten in the corner. He could only assume they had come from Tamaki. As much as he liked the man, he couldn't help but think that Tamaki's behavior was juvenile. Didn't he know Haruhi well enough by now to know that he couldn't woo her with expensive presents? The gesture reeked of insecurity. Haruhi was far too practical a woman to be swayed by such shallow forms of affection. In any case, it wasn't his business so he made a conscious effort not to look in that direction again, lest she notice his interest and feel obligated to explain.

He turned his attention instead to the small girl in front of him. Her hair was wet, hanging over her left shoulder. He could smell the familiar scent of cherry blossoms wafting off of her skin, she must have just gotten out of a bath. Her skin was bright, a light shade of pink dusting her cheeks. She wore a dark grey Ouran University sweatshirt that looked tattered, it was at least two sizes too big and it hung loosely around her slight frame. This was accompanied by a pair of shorts with pink bunny heads printed on them.

Mori had to struggle to repress the smile that threatened to form on his face. He wondered if she had bought those on her own or if she had possibly received them from Mitskuni, he assumed it was the latter.

Speaking of his pint sized cousin, he wondered where he could be and why he had not come running to the door when he arrived. He lifted his gaze from her, searching for his missing friend.

"Oh, Honey-kun is napping in the living room. Stay right here I'll grab you a towel."

He blinked, slowly. Haruhi always seemed to have a grasp on what he was thinking, though he rarely expressed it aloud. For someone who was infamous for her obliviousness to situations that would be painfully obvious to anyone else she was able to regularly decipher the labyrinth that seemed to be his mind.

She returned seconds later holding a towel in her hand. Upon observing him more closely, her face fell into a mask of concern. Her expression caught him off guard but before he could ask her what was wrong she spoke.

"Senpai, your clothes are completely soaked through and you must be freezing. You should go take a bath so you don't catch a cold. I'll throw your clothes in the dryer."

His eyebrows shot up in response. He didn't necessarily think he needed to do all that, he was sure a towel would do the job but her expression told him that it would be futile to decline her offer. He resigned, nodding his head in agreement. Mori found it rather difficult to deny this particular person anything she wanted anyway.

"Good. Follow me." She said grabbing his hand as she led him down the hallway. He couldn't help but notice just how small her hand seemed compared to his own, but it was incredibly warm, he tightened his grip on hers, allowing himself the simple pleasure of feeling her soft skin. Outside of the dojo, he and Haruhi rarely had any sort of physical contact.

Guiding him to the bathroom she provided him with a few soaps and other toiletries. She also handed him a laundry basket asking him to deposit his wet clothes in it when he finished undressing and leave them by the door so she could start them in the dryer. The blush that formed on her cheeks was not lost on him when she spoke of him undressing, causing his own cheeks to redden in response. He did as he was told and he soon found himself alone in her bathroom.

Now that he was completely bare, the cool air hit his skin forcing goosebumps to rise on his flesh, he didn't register just how cold he actually was until now. The hand that had held Haruhi's moments before closed into a fist, searching for the lost warmth she had provided. He hurried into the tub, savoring the feeling of the warm water that lapped against his cool skin. He heard Haruhi shuffling around outside the door, probably picking up his clothes. Her offer was very kind, it made him happy to know that she worried over his well being. It was rare that anyone ever bothered to fuss over him, he was the epitome of silent strength in the eyes of so many, but to Haruhi he was just a simple man, a friend, someone she cared for and she treated him that way.

As he sat in the oppressive quiet of the room, he couldn't help it as he thought back to just a few minutes earlier.

After speaking with Katsu he felt an extreme urgency to see Haruhi. The feeling had been overwhelming; with each step he took in the direction of her home a pressure was building within his chest. It was a sensation very akin to panic, an emotion he was not well acquainted with, though he had experienced it before, albeit seldom. He always prided himself on being a very serene and collected person but something in the way Katsu had spoken made Mori feel she was threatened in some way. He had to see her with his own eyes to confirm that she was just fine, that she was where she said she would be.

Upon reaching her front door he felt almost bewildered, he really didn't have a reason to be here but the pressure in his chest continued to build, making it difficult to breathe. This experience reminded him of the time Mitskuni went missing at Kyoya's family resort but he knew that Mitskuni was fine, so why did he feel this way? In actuality, he knew exactly why he felt this way, but his brain was refusing to accept it.

He debated with himself, he could leave now, not a soul would know that he had even been here but as the thought crossed his mind the pressure increased exponentially. He didn't know why, but his heart was telling him that he needed to be here for Haruhi.

He suddenly recalled that she did invite him over so it wouldn't look strange if he just happened to stop by and chances were good that Mistkuni was still here. He raised his fist and wrapped his knuckles sharply on the door, and then he waited. As he heard the locks begin to dislodge, the compression on his chest started to ease slightly. When she opened the door for him, he felt air fill his lungs again, that dull ache he had felt only seconds before completely subsided.

When she had invited him in, he hadn't even realized it had been raining until she offered to get him a towel. He was more than a little disturbed by this revelation, how was he able to walk down the street and not notice he was being drenched? He looked down, realizing he never even put on his jacket. His thoughts on the way over were so completely consumed by her that he had been inexplicably unaware of his surroundings.

However, he couldn't deny the fact that he felt unparalleled relief upon seeing her.

When she had insisted on him bathing, he really wanted to refuse. There was no need for it, but he wanted to appease her so he gave in. Now he found himself sitting in the bath of her apartment, contemplating the woman just a few feet away, wondering what exactly was going on. Maybe he was getting sick? Or he was just really tired lately?

But if he were being honest with himself, he would be able to admit that he had been feeling this way for a long time towards Haruhi.

This hyper-awareness had begun some months ago when she had first started to attend the University. The revelation of her true gender caused something of an uproar at first but by the time college classes started everyone got used to the thought of Haruhi being a girl, the commotion died down to a more manageable degree. However, she gained several male suitors in the process, so Mori had begun to stay vigilant for her. He convinced himself that any one of her friends would do the same.

It was in his blood, to be a guardian. To protect the ones he cared about. Both Haruhi and Mitskuni drew out that instinct within him but… that day… his instincts had almost failed him.

Ever since the last time she was attacked, his awareness of her had increased dramatically, to a point that disturbed him. He wasn't sure if it had to do just with the attack or what happened afterwards. He had always been mindful of her but now it was almost to the same degree with which he could identify Mitskuni. He didn't even need to see her anymore to know where she was, he could feel her, her energy but it only worked within a certain range and only if he was able to concentrate without distractions. If she wasn't in the same building with him, or in the general proximity he couldn't get a good read on it but knowing she was around and safe made him comfortable, relaxed. Her presence soothed that inclination he had.

That same prickly feeling in the back of his neck that he had experienced the day of her attack began to occur again when Katsu and he were talking. He brushed it aside, on the day of her attack, he would never forgive himself for that. He refused to do that again, which is why he was here now. He would need to keep his guard up around Katsu from now on. Mori reminded himself to bring his suspicions to Mitskuni's attention as well.

He finished up in the bathroom before drying himself off, he looked into his gym bag to see what he could wear, he was sure his clothes wouldn't be out of the dryer yet. He had a pair of dark blue sweatpants but nothing to cover his upper body. He doubted she would have anything large enough to fit his large frame and she had certainly seen him without his shirt on before so it shouldn't be that big of a deal… but then again he had never been practically alone with her while he was half naked.

He groaned inwardly, he didn't want this to be any more awkward than he already felt it was but there was nothing else he could do. He wrapped the towel around his neck, offering him some semblance of modesty, before pushing open the door and walking into the hallway.

He couldn't hear Haruhi shuffling around anymore so continued on down the hallway, she wasn't in the kitchen, she wasn't in the living room, though Mitskuni was still there snoring away. He always napped longer on rainy days so this wasn't any serious concern. His cousin was also a notoriously grouchy riser, so attempting to wake him up was ill advised to say the least.

Mori passed her bedroom on the way out of the bathroom, her door had been open but she wasn't in there, either.

He glanced back over to the kitchen, his eyes settling on the broken glass of her teacup, he noticed the small drops of crimson on the tatami mats. Adrenaline immediately began pumping in his veins at the sight, his instincts immediately taking over, his senses sharpening as grizzly reminders of her recent attack played in his head. He was alarmed now, he didn't know where she was, there was blood and broken glass in her kitchen and all this had happened with both he and Mitskuni in the house yet neither of them had noticed it.

He cursed violently under his breath for being so oblivious to his surroundings today. When he returned home he had some serious meditating and reflecting to do.

A bolt of lightning shot across the sky just outside the windows, illuminating the room before the boisterous crash of thunder rumbled through the apartment. He heard, what sounded like a muffled squeak to his right. Closing his eyes, he calmed himself, shutting out all his other senses as he probed for her ki, an art he mastered while training with his father, and it didn't take him long to find her.

Haruhi's energy was drawn in on itself, trembling violently with every new clap of thunder. Mori travelled the few steps to the hallway closet, throwing back the door a little more forcefully than necessary, causing the shoji to rattle on its track. He saw her hunched over, her eyes squeezed shut and her hand clamped tightly over her mouth. There was a trail of blood trickling from a wound that seemed to originate from her hand but it didn't seem she was concerned over it. Her mind must have been too frightened to register the pain, in any case he couldn't leave her in here and the cut needed to be treated.

Mori crouched down, rocking back slightly on his heels so that he was on the same level as her. Very slowly, he reached out and wrapped his hand around her wrist and gently pulled the damaged appendage away from her face. She put up a small bit of resistance but another round of thunder had her ducking her head, ending any fight she may have put up and he was easily able to inspect the cut on her hand, his fingers probing the soft flesh gently. It wasn't deep, the cut ran diagonally along her palm from just below her index finger to the heel of her hand. Though it was shallow it had bled a decent amount and because she had held it over her mouth she now had blood smeared on her face. Mori couldn't help but wince at her appearance, it reminded him too much of what she recently went through, he didn't want her to be scared anymore. There was nothing he hated more in this world, nothing that made his heart ache more, than seeing her in pain or frightened.

She finally opened her eyes and he could see the tears that formed in the corners. He held out his arms to her in a silent plea for her to come to him, as she reached out another thunderous wave of sound rattled the house and caused her to launch herself into his waiting arms. The scared girl fastened herself to his torso, her arms going around his neck, her head tucked beneath his chin and her legs wrapping instinctively around his waist. He lifted her with ease, his large hand running up and down her back in an effort to soothe her and quiet her sobs.

"You're safe, little one." He whispered softly in her ear, his deep voice strong and sure.

Mori could feel her relaxing against him and he was thankful that his presence brought her some form of comfort. Unable to help himself he ran his fingers through her silky brown tresses. He always dreamed of doing that but never had the courage to do so.

He carried her with him to the bathroom kicking the door open with his foot he stepped over the threshold. He was reluctant to let her go but he knew he needed to in order to attend to the task at hand. He wanted to get the blood washed away from her face and hand. He balanced her gently on the edge of the sink, reaching around her he began to run the hot water

Mori moved away from her searching her medicine cabinet for antiseptic and bandages, finding both he also grabbed a wash cloth. He ran the cloth under the water before he began to clean the cut on her hand. She hissed when he applied the antiseptic and he caught her eyes with his own in apology.

He didn't want her to feel pain, he didn't want to be the one to hurt her.

He gently wrapped her hand in gauze, careful to put just enough pressure on the injury to stop the bleeding and for the second time that day he was blown away by how small she was, how fragile she seemed to him in comparison. He would guess that his hands were at least twice as big as hers, he could easily encompass her tiny fist in his own hand.

His fierce desire to protect flared within him with an intensity that frightened him, for a brief moment his vision blurred and air rushed out of him as he gasped. Sure, being an instinctual person by nature he had felt this way his entire life, especially with Mitskuni, it had always been there. But this… was different. It seemed more forceful, to the point where he wasn't able to focus on anything else. Something between he and Haruhi was changing, he just wasn't sure what yet.

But that wasn't true, he already knew what changed, his mind just wasn't ready to admit it yet.

"I'm sorry, Mori-senpai. I didn't mean to cause trouble for you." Haruhi said, her tone hushed, voice quivering slightly.

Mori was dragged from his thoughts at the sound of her voice. He made a conscious effort not to frown as his steel grey eyes met her chocolate brown, he could see the shame hers held. She was misreading his confusion over his own emotions as irritation for having to take care of her. He kept his gaze locked on hers as he shook his head from side to side conveying that it was no trouble for him at all.

Haruhi truly had nothing to be sorry for, everyone had fears, but Mori just wished she would come to either him or Mitskuni to help her through this rough time. It seemed, even with all the maturing she had done over the few years he had known her, some habits were harder to break. Growing up, the girl never relied on anyone, always an independent, but she needed to learn that depending on others was not a weakness. In fact, you could garner great strength through the support of others around you.

Once he was satisfied with his handiwork on her injury, he began to work on clearing away the blood on her face but halted as her hand came to rest on his. She was blushing furiously as she took the cloth from him.

"Thank you, senpai. I can do this…"

Mori was honestly surprised it took this long for her to intervene, Haruhi didn't tend to let others fuss over her and he was secretly pleased she let him do this much for her, at least.

He waited patiently as she washed her face, her pale skin clean once again, she dried her face with a nearby towel. Once this task was completed she thanked him again for his kindness, swearing that she was fine now. Mori didn't argue and the pair made their way back to the kitchen, he kept a steadying hand on her shoulder.

Haruhi was embarrassed that Mori-senpai was subjected to her weakness. It was immature for someone her age to still be afraid of something like thunderstorms but when their eyes met, she detected no hint of disdain or irritation in his eyes, just concern. He was able to provide her with his signature brand of silent strength, something that was distinctly Mori. A quality of his she had always admired, just one of many that he did possess.

Upon seeing the mess she managed to make all over her tatami, she groaned out loud. As she bent down to begin cleaning up, Mori stopped her. Her brows pulled together in confusion but he didn't seem to pay her any mind as he bent and began picking up pieces of broken glass from the floor. She tried to protest but he refused her help.

When she tried again he cut her off, saying "You might injure yourself again…"

She argued again, saying that this wasn't his mess to worry about and that he could injure himself as well.

She watched in speechless fascination as he lifted a piece of shattered teacup to his hand, he ran the sharp edge against his palm with some force and she shrieked at him to stop it. Panic flooded her system, her blood turned to ice in her veins, she was frightened he may have hurt himself and she was more than a little shocked that he would do this willingly.

Even so, when she looked down to his hand she noticed it didn't even manage to scratch him, his hands were so calloused from years of kendo that they weren't affected at all by the razor sharp edge.

"I'll do this." He said again, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument.

She nodded her head in compliance, finally agreeing that it was best for him to take care of.

She did, however, grab a mop so she could clean and disinfect her floor. As she returned to the kitchen she saw that Mori already had started cleaning the stains from her mats with a dishtowel. He was so helpful in a way that no one in her life had ever been, not even her father. Not that she could fault her dad for that, he did, after all, work the hours he did to make money for their household and to support her.

She almost felt like she was taking advantage of Mori-senpai somehow, though she knew he would be angry for ever suggesting that notion. She just wasn't used to having someone to depend upon and without ever being asked he took it upon himself to be there for her. Mori-senpai had been there for her that day as well…

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Aaaaaaaaaand scene! In the next chapter the events of the accident that Haruhi experienced that I've alluded to in previous chapters will be revealed and with it will bring a clearer understanding of why Mori seems to be so desperate to protect her. Hopefully I won't disappoint with the next installment.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY aspect of Ouran High School Host Club, characters or otherwise, nor do I make any profit from this story. It's purely for fun. Everything belongs to Bisco Hatori, thanks to her we are all able to share these fantastic characters!**

Back again! This chapter is the entire reason I slapped my fic with the rating that it has, it includes some rather graphic violence and some suggestive themes so if you're sensitive to those sorts of situations or it makes you uncomfortable, please read at your own risk. You've been warned.

Please keep in mind these are PAST events, they happened before the timeline that my story currently takes place in, this and the following two chapters are all set about 8 months previous.

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_**CHAPTER 4**_

_**Dear Salvation**_

Haruhi viciously chastised herself as she rushed across campus to the designated place she was to meet one of her classmates. She wasn't familiar with the boy but he requested a moment of her time earlier in the day, saying there was something he absolutely needed to discuss with her. They were in the same chemistry course so she assumed it pertained to that, so she had obliged.

Lately she found herself trying to be a little more friendly and outgoing than she was in the past.

Now she was late for their meeting, she couldn't believe how careless she had been. She really needed to stop going to the library before she was required to be places. There were certain situations in which being wrapped up in academics wasn't necessarily a good thing.

She reached her destination, the big oak tree by the medical wing of the campus but she didn't see the boy she was set to meet. She allowed herself to breathe a small sigh of relief, glad that she hadn't made the boy wait.

A cool gust of wind blew through the courtyard causing the leaves on the trees to rustle violently, her hair swirling around her face in silky waves. As the wind died down she tucked the rogue strands behind her ears.

"Thank you for meeting me here, Fujioka-san." She heard someone say.

She whirled around and quickly she came face to face with her classmate, Yosuke, she thought it was though she wasn't too sure. She wasn't on very familiar terms with most people in her courses yet as the semester had just begun. If she remembered correctly, he attended Ouran Academy as well, he seemed vaguely familiar.

Kobayashi Yosuke, was by no means an unattractive man. He was fairly tall, standing several inches above her, his hair was the darkest extreme of black she ever laid eyes on and he kept in a neat hairstyle, but it helped to set off the pale blue of his eyes.

His looks reminded Haruhi very much of Kyoya-senpai, except this boy didn't wear glasses, and she also felt her senpai was slightly more handsome than this boy was, not that she would ever admit that to a certain Shadow King.

"Umm… I'm sorry, it seems I was late meeting you. I was caught up in the library, I hope I didn't make you wait long." She said, her hand moving to rub the back of her head nervously, hoping she didn't offend him in any way.

"That's quite alright Fujioka-san." He said in a cool but pleasant voice. "Just now, being able to see you looking so lovely, it more than made up for it." A polite, dreamy smile graced his features.

Haruhi smiled politely though on the inside she was extremely put off, his compliment grated on her nerves heavily.

Now she was now fairly certain of what Yosuke wanted to say to her, upon realizing it she had to make a serious effort to keep her features from dropping. Haruhi almost wished she were still being mistaken for a male. Somehow, even with the added nuisance of hiding her gender, it was less of a bother than dealing with the constant bombardment of feelings from others.

Ever since she was revealed to be female, it seemed like dozens of men had confessed to having feelings for her, people she had never even spoken with before. She was flattered, she really was but she was never one to want to be the center of attention and she certainly didn't think she warranted such flattery.

Even so, she wasn't in the least bit interested in having any relationship at the moment because Haruhi had a dream. She dreamed of becoming a successful, competent lawyer, just as her mother had been and until that dream was a reality she didn't have any time or desire for extra-curricular activities.

Besides, she'd recently come out of a relationship, she didn't need those kinds of headaches.

She waited, wanting to give him his chance to plead his case. Haruhi always wondered how some could instantly fall in love with people they'd never even spoken to before. She had witnessed it countless times with the members of the host club, most often with Mori-senpai, girls would come to the host club and disclose their feelings, swearing they were in love and how they just had to have him return their feelings, forcing how they felt onto him. It seemed childish and immature, an exercise in futility.

Maybe she was cynical when it came to love, she wasn't sure herself, but it seemed less than sincere.

"Um, Fujioka-san. The reason I requested to speak with you is because… excuse me if this seems a little… well… forward… but I-I love you. Since the first day I laid eyes on you I knew that you were the only one for me. You're absolutely stunning and your reserved personality is quite admirable. You're intelligent, kind, and your drive is extraordinary. So, if you would be so inclined, would you mind going out with me? I feel we would be a very compatible match, if you would only give me the chance."

Haruhi's eyes took on that dull, dead look that she so often adopted when Tamaki tended to get too out of line. This was… too much. Yosuke's over polite approach sounded, unnatural, scripted and she couldn't help but wonder how many times this boy practiced this exact speech on other women. His words rang false in her ears, like the ungodly screech of nails on a chalkboard. She could already tell this boy didn't love her, he just deluded himself into believing he did for some inconceivable reason.

Regardless, Yosuke had displayed great courage in admitting his feelings so he deserved an answer at the very least.

She bowed deeply, straightening out again, she looked him straight in the eyes and said "I'm very sorry, Kobayashi-san. I'm unable to accept your feelings. I'm not currently trying to pursue a relationship with anyone but I do hope that we can remain friends."

The boy smirked and gave a short laugh, "I thought you might say that."

Haruhi quirked her eyebrow, not exactly the reaction she was expecting. What she expected from him was the same reaction that she saw countless times over the past two months. Which was a polite thank you and that they would still continue to be friends, instead, the polite smile and bashful air that Yosuke had only seconds seemed to disappear. She was taken aback by the harsh change in his demeanor, all at once she realized that this person was dangerous, a threat, and she had been stupid enough to meet him in a fairly isolated area, alone.

Haruhi knew she needed to find a way to rectify this issue, this was the exact sort of situation that her friends in the host club had always warned her about.

Very slowly, she moved her hand so she could snag her cell phone from her pocket but she found he would not allow this to happen as he grabbed her wrists forcefully, he pinned both arms above her head with one hand while he used the other to reach into her front pocket pulling the offending electronic from it before he held it in front of her face. He was mocking her.

"No, no Fujioka-san. I don't think you will be needing this." With a flick of his wrist he threw it to the ground then brought his heel down hard, smashing it to pieces.

Haruhi's eyes grew wide, her blood was pumping furiously in her veins. She was trying, with some difficulty,not to panic, if she did, there was a good chance she wouldn't be able to get out of this unscathed. She didn't know this man, wasn't familiar with what he was truly capable of. She couldn't stop herself from asking, "Why are you doing this?"

He snickered, finding some sort of twisted humor in her question. "Well, Fujioka-san I fully expected you to reject me. Hell, all my friends told me there was no way that you would say yes, you have rejected almost everyone in the University already but I swore to them that I would make you mine. I can be very… persuasive when I need to be. I've never had a woman refuse me before." He said, lowering his face to her level he moved lower, nuzzling his cheek into her neck.

Haruhi's entire body went stiff, her mind was racing. She was thoroughly repulsed by this guy's behavior, he was an absolute creep and she didn't need to think very hard to figure out what he was driving at. She had to think of a way to get out of this. Much to her dismay, the voice of Tamaki kept ringing in her ear telling her that she needed to start thinking of the fact that she was a girl before she did stupid things. She remembered how Kyoya intentionally played the villain just to show her what could happen if she left herself open, just like she had done in this situation. He had told her to rid herself of her naïve views on gender and though she heeded his words to an extent, it obviously had not sunken in.

She squeezed her eyes shut, quickly coming to a conclusion, it was risky but it was her only chance. She knew this man could overpower her and she just needed to get to one of the buildings and she would be safe.

Her mind made up, she put her plan into action.

"I'm sorry, Yosuke-kun. You're right, I haven't given you a proper chance. I'll go out with you." She said, sounding meek and reserved, hiding all traces of the extreme loathing she actually felt.

His eyes lit up at her words before they clouded with an emotion Haruhi had seen on many other men. He was feeling triumphant, pleased that he was acting with so little dignity and she felt disgusted and dirty just being in his presence.

"I didn't think you would come around so quickly but it's just as well. I would hate to use some of my methods on someone as cute as you, Haruhi." He said.

She could feel his words on her lips as he spoke, he was so close. Just a little further and she would be able to pull this off.

Yosuke moved in to claim his prize, the lips of the girl who was everyone's dream on campus. Of course, he didn't actually love Haruhi but he did make a bet with his friends and he just couldn't bear the idea of losing so he couldn't have been more pleased with the way this had turned out. He wouldn't have to resort to his other tactics, not that he minded. He had always been fond of forcing others to submit to his will, women in particular, call him a sadist if you will.

Yosuke felt a modicum of disappointment that she didn't put up much of a fight at all. Haruhi was known for being rather defiant when she wanted to be but the sweet taste of victory was before him now and who was he to refuse what fate brought to him?

Just before his lips touched hers, Haruhi made her move. She pulled her face away from his before bringing it back, slamming her forehead into his with enough force to send him reeling backwards, the element of surprise clearly working in her favor as she was sure she couldn't hit that hard. However, it provided the desired reaction as his hand let go of her captured wrists.

She didn't waste any time as she ran towards the medical building, the closest one to her, all she needed to do was make it there and then she could file a police report or something against him. Yosuke was very clearly disturbed and she didn't want to wait around to see what other "methods" he would use against her.

Haruhi had almost made it to her goal, almost. She, unfortunately, was not the most graceful of people, nor was she the fastest and her foot caught on one of the roots of the massive trees running through the courtyard, sending her sailing through the air, landing her roughly on the ground. Her palms were scraped upon the impact, her ankle twisted violently at an odd angle making it difficult for her to regain her footing. As she tried to make it back to her feet, she was pulled back roughly by her hair. Haruhi fell back to the ground, her injured ankle making it near impossible to resist in any tangible way and soon she was being dragged roughly across the campus, back to the relative isolation of the courtyard.

Yosuke released his grip on her hair, he flipped her over so she was face up, he once again pinned her arms overtop of her head and straddled her body to keep her immobile. He grabbed her chin harshly in his right hand, putting a great deal of pressure there and he could already see bruises forming on her delicate, pale skin. He knew he could get her to submit to him, having done this many times before to several other women. They all crumbled, eventually, he just needed to find Fujioka's breaking point.

He ran his thumb across her lips and looked down into her eyes. She was staring directly at him but instead of the fear he longed to see there he detected her hatred and blazing defiance, he would extinguish it

He rather enjoyed these sorts of games.

Yosuke removed his grip from her chin and pulled back his arm, slapping her viciously across the face, the force of the blow splitting open her lip, her head snapped to the right from the impact. He let out a satisfied cackle as blood began to trickle from her damaged face. No one ever really put up this much of a fight, this could be amusing.

"Why did you do that Haruhi? You were being such a good girl, I thought you were smarter than that. Now you will have to be punished and I really didn't want to do that." He said in mock disappointment, though the lurid smile his face held made it very clear he found it far from displeasing.

Abruptly his expression changed, his face becoming dark, he rasped between his clenched teeth "I will not be denied. If you stop struggling, I promise I won't hurt you… much. But if you insist on acting like an obstinate bitch I will have no choice but to use force."

"You're disgusting! You self-righteous bastard!" was Haruhi's only reply, the contempt in her gaze had not diminished an ounce, not even with his physical abuse. She refused to be treated this way, the stubbornness she was so famous for fueling her. She wouldn't let this smug and clearly psychotic boy to handle her this way.

This only seemed to anger the boy further and he brought his hand down hard across her face again, splitting open the wound further. The crimson liquid ran across her face and she sputtered to keep it out of her mouth. She saw something dark and dangerous flash in Yosuke's eyes then and she knew something had piqued his interest.

As Haruhi's blood flowed from the lesion on her lip, Yosuke couldn't keep down the violent tendencies he had struggled to restrain his entire life. To him, women never looked more beautiful than when they were writhing in pain, the vivid red of blood seemed to excite and spark something dark inside of him and now he _**wanted**_ Haruhi. He shuddered violently as a fresh wave of desire wracked through him and he leaned down, pressing his entire body to hers crudely.

Haruhi's eyes opened wide as she felt his weight settle against her, she could feel him, _**all**_of him pressed indecently against her. It was just like Kyoya said, if any man got it in his mind to molest her all he would have to do was overpower her and now she was beneath a boy she barely knew, she was well aware that she didn't have much of a chance against him. She couldn't believe it, her mind barely able to register the gravity of the situation.

As he pressed his mouth to hers the tears she had been bravely holding back began to spill, Haruhi had never felt so helpless in her entire life.

She felt his tongue snake between her lips, she could taste the metallic tang of her blood and the flavor of his mouth, the bitter combination making her stomach flip violently. She felt like she was going to be sick.

He continued his assault on her small frame, his hands running over places he had no right to touch. She couldn't help it as she struggled against him again, not bothering to heed his warning or worry over her injured ankle. She refused to endure this willingly, not daring to give him that satisfaction. She brought her knee up, fully intending on striking him in the groin but she missed, only hitting the back of his thigh. He laughed outright at her failure.

He brought his mouth away from hers, "Haruhi, why do you reject all the boys in this University? Is it because you're so worn out from those boys that used to be in the Host Club? I'll bet they all took turns with you, didn't they?" He chided, knowing it would only stir her ire further. He highly doubted she'd ever engaged in any salacious acts with any of its members, she always struck him as rather prudish but he enjoyed how furious she became but she was still unable to do anything about it

Yosuke desired her absolute submission to him, he wanted her to feel degraded, needed her to feel shamed. Who the hell did she think she was, rejecting every man that came her way, as if she were their superior?

Haruhi had handled just about all she could take of this creep, his last comment went way too far. How dare he think of her as some common whore. Yes, she loved all of the members of that club but none had ever acted indecently towards her, outside of the twins teasing. She wouldn't allow herself or them to be insulted, especially by some outsider who didn't understand them, who wasn't familiar with the .

"They would _**never **_treat me that way. They all care about me, they respect me and they are gentleman, something you could never fathom, so don't you _**dare**_ speak of them that way." She spat, venom dripping from her words.

He laughed again before bringing his lips to hers again, kissing her forcibly. As his tongue entered her mouth, Haruhi bit down, hard, unable to hold back as her fury blinded her. Immediately she felt the warm wetness that was his blood flood into her mouth and she gagged. He rolled off of her, screaming in agony, hand clapped over his mouth as the crimson river continued to flow.

After a moment of pained screeching Yosuke decided he was officially done playing with this girl, white hot rage pounded in his head, he would end this now, she would never again refuse another man, he wouldn't give her the chance. Her life ended right here, right now. Though he had never killed anyone before, her blood had caused him to fly into some sort of frenzy, he was a predator, and he desperately wanted to finish this. The game was fun for a while, but now he was just furious. He would not lose.

Haruhi rolled onto her stomach, suspended off the ground slightly by her arms. She was unable to stop the forceful heaving his treatment of her had caused, her stomach emptying its contents onto the green grass below.

When she was finished she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, trying to rid herself of the grotesque mess, the feel of his mouth, this entire situation. She needed help, she couldn't fight him off on her own, no matter how hard she tried. She opened her mouth, ready to release an ear splitting scream but Yosuke had other ideas.

He clamped his hand down on her mouth, silencing any further noise she may have made and plunged the blade of the pocket knife he had produced into her side. She bit down on his hand hard then but he barely registered the pain. He had been effective in muffling her scream and finally she stopped struggling. He let go of her as she collapsed in a heap on the ground, crimson staining the grass around her.

Yosuke had never felt more powerful in his entire life. He released a series of nervous giggles, this girl had put up one hell of a fight but he had prevailed in the end. His entire being surged with pride, elation, and something much darker. He'd finally won.

"Haruhi?"

Yosuke froze as he heard the girl's name issue from someone else's mouth, barely above a whisper. He turned just in time to see Morinozuka Takashi standing just a few feet away, his eyes trained fully on the bloody girl. His mouth was slightly agape, absolute horror painted on his features, a strange sight indeed for a man who didn't seem to know how to emote.

Haruhi, through the haze in her head, barely registered her name being called. She was fairly certain it wasn't that miscreant calling her either. She struggled to turn her head to look in the direction of the sound, her bleary eyes finally settling on Mori-senpai who looked, for lack of a better word, terrified. Her mind was only barely able to recognize that he was looking at _**her**_ that way and she felt true fear knot in the pit of her stomach.

However, she knew that if anyone could help her, it would be him because that was in his nature. To protect and to save, he was her salvation.

"Senpai…" she rasped out to him, raising her arm a little in his direction before it dropped back to the ground. The searing pain in her side began to ebb as her body became numb, a deep chill settling itself over her, she felt a cold sweat sticking to her skin.

Mori, upon witnessing the sight before him, was completely torn. He didn't know if he should beat the boy who was clearly covered in her blood to death, or if he should grab Haruhi but when she reached out to him, beckoned to him, he knew he had to get to her. He couldn't let her die.

It took all of two seconds for him to be by her side, he turned her over gently in his arms so that he could inspect her. Her face was bloody and bruised, her lip had been cut open though it didn't look as though the wound was of major consequence. His eyes continued their scrutiny of her, he noted the disheveled look of her clothing and he knew what that boy must have been trying to do, rage burning in his mind as he thought of it. His gaze finally settled on the puncture wound in her side, blood still steadily pumped from this injury. He pulled up the fabric of the t-shirt she wore to inspect the wound further, his face twisted at the sight of the injury, he'd never seen a stab wound before, it was gruesome.

"Oh God, Haruhi…" he whispered, thick fear constricting his throat.

Mori squeezed his eyes shut, clearing his mind. He had to help her, this was serious, she could really die. He removed the t-shirt he was wearing and wrapped it securely around her midsection, knotting the fabric on top of her injury to slow the bleeding, if only a little. He lifted her as gently as he could manage so as not to disturb or cause any further damage to her small frame. He noted that she felt cold, her eyes were drifting closed and he suspected she was losing consciousness.

Carrying his precious cargo along, he ran to the medical building ever mindful not to jostle her more than necessary, bursting through the doors he knew he had to find one person. Only one person would be able to get her the medical attention needed to save her life but he didn't have a clue where he would be.

The tall youth burst through the doors of the building, he filled his lungs with air before yelling as loud as he could manage "Kyoya!"

That was the last thing Haruhi heard as she slipped under, into the warm, welcoming embrace of unconsciousness.

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I'm going to post the next chapter right away as well, I personally can't stand cliff hangers and it would nag at my subconscious for the next week if I left you hanging. Plus, the end of this chapter offers no closure to the situation what so ever.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY aspect of Ouran High School Host Club, characters or otherwise, nor do I make any profit from this story. It's purely for fun. Everything belongs to Bisco Hatori, thanks to her we are all able to share these fantastic characters!**

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_**Chapter 5**_

_**Disgrace and Distraction**_

The whirring and beeping of machines assaulted his ears but his focus was on the steady rise and fall of the chest of the girl in the hospital bed next to him. She seemed so tiny laying in that bed, pillows surrounding her, her skin held a pale, ashen color, save for the black and blue splotches that peppered her face.

Mori had been unable to leave her side since he found her in the courtyard, lying in a pool of her own blood, not that he could right now anyway. He could still see the look in her eyes as she reached out to him, the strangled pain he heard in her voice. It was all threatening to drive him mad. He should have been there to stop her assault, he cursed himself inwardly, guilt eating away at his soul.

Since Haruhi had begun University both he and Mitskuni had taken it upon themselves to make sure she got to her classes safely, a development that in the beginning she vehemently argued against. But without their presence, male students tended to accost her constantly, making her endlessly late to her lectures so she eventually consented to let them walk her around campus, if for no other reason to make it to class on time, but he wasn't able to escort her today. He had to meet the school's chairman to get permission to use the dojo after hours since he would be training the kendo club rigorously so they might secure a place in the upcoming tournament. Mori desperately wanted to bring the University title of the best in the nation under his care.

That abhorrent emotion, that sinful emotion, pride, clouded his judgment and it almost cost Haruhi her life.

He apologized for not being able to her but Haruhi insisted she would be just fine on her own, she told him not to worry.

If only he had been there, or arranged for Mitskuni to go with her this never would have happened. If only he weren't so goddamn inadequate.

An uneasy feeling began to creep into his heart not long after his meeting began, a prickling feeling raising the hairs on the back of his neck. He tried brushing it off but after too long it became unbearable and he had to excuse himself, asking if they could reschedule before rushing out of the office without ever hearing the answer.

Mori felt a strange sense of foreboding and he couldn't help but think it had something to do with Haruhi, as this was the only abnormal factor in his day. He checked the library, where he assumed she would be, she was always there but today she was not. He headed to her next class and discovered she had not arrived there either. His search for her started to take on a frantic quality until, finally, he could smell her familiar scent in the air. Cherry blossoms. He knew it had to be her as it was the wrong time of year for any of the trees to have blossoms, however, he also detected the very distinct, acrid aroma of blood.

A moment later he felt her energy spike violently before it all but disappeared.

Mori's heart was in his throat as he ran as fast as he could in the direction of the odor, his feet barely touching the ground as he flew across campus, praying to every God he knew that it wasn't hers or that she just happened to fall and scrape her knee, anything. He rounded the corner of the medical building on the south side of the campus and there, in the courtyard, he saw her.

Sprawled out, face down on the ground with some unfamiliar man looming near her menacingly, his hands and face covered in what he could only assume was her blood.

All coherent thought left him as his eyes settled on her, all he could think to do was to call to her. Slowly, she turned in his direction, her gaze settling on him and in that moment she had reached out to him.

He could deal with her attacker later, he knew if he didn't get her to a hospital fast, she would bleed to death.

He couldn't ever remember his voice being so loud, not even during kendo had it reached this pitch. He practically roared as he strode down the hallway searching for their friend, he needed Kyoya. If they got her to the Ootori hospital, he knew she would have a fighting chance, the best doctors in all of Japan would work on her, they would be able to mend her. Mori didn't have the ability to provide her that precious chance but Kyoya could.

He continued down the halls, screaming his friend's name, his voice becoming hoarse, not used to using the instrument at this volume until the boy ran out from one of the neighboring classrooms, his eyes wide with disbelief as he took in the couple. Not soon after, more students flooded the hallways, all wondering who was causing such a commotion.

No one would have suspected that one of the quietest men to ever grace the halls of Ouran University would have been the one to cause the disturbance.

Kyoya's cell phone was already at his ear, he barked orders furiously to several people before he ushered Mori out of the building and towards the parking lot. An ambulance was already waiting for them, ready to whisk them away to their destination.

Mori grudgingly let go of Haruhi as she was placed on a stretcher.

On the ride over to the hospital, the medical technicians began jamming IV's into her slender arms. He heard one of them mention that her blood pressure was dangerously low. Her breathing was shallow and labored, they were forced to put a tube down her throat to aid her, she coughed and spluttered against the intrusion and Mori grit his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut at the sound. His heart ached, this just couldn't be happening, he really couldn't handle this

The young woman's eyes had yet to open since he picked her up from the ground.

When they had finally stabilized her breathing Mori looked up cautiously to Kyoya, knowing the boy would have some sort of grasp on how dreadful her condition may be. Kyoya's face was guarded but Mori could see the grave look in his eyes, the set of his jaw gave him away… Haruhi's state was serious, she was fighting for her life.

When they arrived at the hospital, they were swarmed by doctors and nurses in all directions, they had been informed ahead of time of their arrival. Skilled hands moved over her body, inspecting her, inserting more tubes to her veins, hooking her up to monitors.

She barely even looked like Haruhi to him anymore, her fragile body was completely immobile now, he wasn't sure they could repair her. She was pale, so very pale, she resembled a corpse, it looked like they were trying to reanimate the dead. Once she was hooked up to all necessary monitors she was taken away to surgery so they could stitch up the wound on her side and examine her properly to make sure no vital organs had been destroyed in the attack.

Mori wanted to go with them, he almost did, but Kyoya's hand on his arm stopped him from moving further. The smaller man guided Mori to a waiting room where they both sat, Kyoya made the required phone calls to the rest of their friends and to Haruhi's father, explaining her condition.

The boys sat silently, both deep in contemplation and worry for their fallen friend, neither daring to voice their worst fear.

Tamaki was the first to arrive of the people Kyoya called, bursting through the doors dramatically. His eyes were red rimmed and puffy, a clear indication that he'd been crying on the way over. Tamaki brought his face down Mori's demanding information from him.

Mori blinked slowly, his brain running over the facts he had, which were limited. He did his best to relay the events to the boy. Soon after, everyone else arrived except for Honey, who Mori noticed was still absent, they were once again briefed by Mori about what had occurred, though he didn't know much. He'd arrived after the altercation after all and the only thing he had been concerned over at the time was saving her.

Soon after, the Ootori police arrived and relayed the message that the suspect had been apprehended, confessing to everything. They said the suspect appeared to have been beaten severely, his mental state shaky, but they were unaware of who could have caused the damage.

Mori was suspicious, had the boy been stupid enough not to run to avoid being apprehended?

At that moment, Honey made his entrance, looking somber but still very much the bright shining light that they all knew him to be. He took a seat next to Mori, assuring his best friend that everything would be just fine.

Mori's eyes narrowed as he took in Honey's appearance, he grabbed one of the boy's hands that was concealed in the pocket of his jeans. Inspecting it he noted his knuckles were battered and Mori knew immediately why Haruhi's attacker had been apprehended so quickly. Honey must have taken it upon himself to make sure he wouldn't be able to escape. He avenged Haruhi.

He gave Mitskuni an appreciative nod.

Honey looked up at his cousin, his eyes softening as he took in his friends disheveled appearance. Though he had not seen Haruhi after the attack, the evidence of it was still there when he arrived. He saw the blood soaked into the earth and he knew his heart shattered a little at the sight. He couldn't begin to imagine what Takashi was thinking, he was the one that found her. He offered his cousin a sweet smile but the gesture didn't touch his eyes. Honey was clearly worried about Haruhi as well.

The police took a statement from Mori, he told them everything he knew, he just hoped they would be able to lock that deranged person away for the rest of his life. Honestly, he didn't believe the bastard deserved to breathe any longer but that wasn't up to him to decide. The Gods would decide his fate, someday.

Hours passed as they all sat in the waiting room, hoping for any sort of update from the doctors.

Tamaki paced constantly, back and forth in the small room, agitating everyone else, making the tension in the room that much greater.

Honey sat quietly next to his stoic cousin, offering him the support that the taller of the pair had so freely provided for him his entire life.

Mori sat completely still, head in his hands, eyes closed and shoulders slumped. An observer may even mistake him for a statue he sat so still, the only sign of life coming from the man was the almost imperceptible movement that his breath caused.

He was silently praying to every God he knew of that they wouldn't lose her. That he wouldn't lose her.

The twins, for the most part, were quiet. Every so often, one would release a shaky breath, an attempt to hold back the impending sobs. Hikaru was staring off into space, his eyes dull and unfocused, while Kaoru held his hand, his expression very similar to his brothers. Neither one able to resolve the emotions they were feeling, didn't know how to put them into words or actions. Haruhi was one of the first people who had ever able to penetrate their guarded bubble, forcing the two to harbor feelings for her. To look at her as a person, not as a toy to be played with or manipulated and now that she was going through this trauma they were unsure of what they should do. They didn't understand how to reconcile their feelings.

Kyoya seemed to be the most composed out of all of the room's inhabitants, he sat with arms crossed over his chest, his right leg resting overtop his left, but if you looked closely, his eyes flickered to the clock on the wall every few minutes nervously. He kept asking himself what was taking so long.

Ranka-san sniffled quietly from his place next to Kyoya, afraid that soon he may lose the one precious thing in his life, silently cursing himself for not being around for her more in the past. What if he lost her today? There would be no chance for him to make up to her his years of shaky parenting.

Finally, after hours of tense reticence, a doctor entered the room, his smock splattered and smudged with an intricate pattern of crimson. Mori raised his head from his hands. Each of the room's occupants waited with bated breath, praying she would be okay, praying to hear good news.

"We've finally gotten the hemorrhaging under control, she's received 60 stitches in her right side and a few to her bottom lip. Thankfully the blade used on her was small, so it missed piercing her major organs but we have run into a complication." The doctor said, he waited for a moment so they could all absorb this and ready themselves to hear the next bit of information.

"What kind of complication?" Kyoya grit out, unable to hold himself back a second longer. He was trying his damndest to stay composed, he knew this doctor was competent, that's why he arranged for him to operate on her, but if he couldn't save Haruhi he would make sure to end his career. _**Someone**_ would pay.

The doctors eyes widened at the outburst of the Ootori's third son, he'd never seen such a display from him before.

"It seems, in the attack, she lost a significant amount of blood. She will need an immediate transfusion. Unfortunately, she's type O and we just don't have enough here. We could have some transferred here from a neighboring hospital but it can't be guaranteed it will get here in time. Without a donor, she won't survive, her body can't reproduce the blood cells fast enough in its weakened condition."

It felt as though the air had been removed from the room, no one breathed for a few beats after the words had left the man's mouth and then Ranka-san broke down, sobbing heavily into his hands, his mascara running thickly down his face, effectively breaking the eerie silence that had descended upon them.

"My Haruhi, I can't lose her too…" He managed to say before breaking down into a fit of more heart wrenching sobs.

Tamaki approached the doctor quickly, grabbing his shoulders, shaking the man. "What are we waiting for? I'll give her my blood, please just save her!" He screamed at the slightly shaken doctor, ripping off a sleeve of his shirt to expose his arm as if to say he was ready to give her his own.

Kyoya grabbed his friend's arm, prying him away from the doctor in a firm but gentle grasp.

"Tamaki, even if you did donate blood to Haruhi, it's not of the same type." He explained calmly. "Her body will reject it and her condition will deteriorate further. It could kill her…"

Tamaki's face fell, he couldn't help her… he had nothing to offer her, what he did have could kill her. But he couldn't stand idly by either, he loved her, he couldn't watch her die. He grit his teeth against the approaching desperation he felt.

Kyoya turned to the doctor, his face emotionless, "Why is her blood type unavailable?" he asked, "Who's job is it to have that available? Why has it not been replenished?" he continued, his voice rising as his outrage grew.

"How many people are going to die because of this blatant failure?" he roared, his face was burning, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, knuckles bone white due to the exertion.

"I..." the doctor stammered, not sure how to respond.

Hikaru wrenched his hand from his brothers, he slammed both fists down on the arms of his chair.

"You're a doctor, can't you save her?" The golden eyed boy yelled, tears finally beginning to fall from his eyes.

Kaoru placed a steadying hand on his brothers shoulder, an attempt to comfort him, though he was feeling the exact same way.

"Do you share the same blood type as your daughter, Fujioka-san?" the doctor asked, doing his best to stay composed in the room full of hysterical men.

Ranka-san began sobbing harder, his breathing came in short hiccups before he could finally answer.

A strangled, "No." was his response.

The situation seemed grave until Mori stood up, his torso still completely bare, he had never bothered to look for more clothing after he tied his shirt around Haruhi's body, her blood still smeared across his skin.

"Takashi?" Honey murmured, taken aback by his cousin's actions for the first time in his life. The look on his friend's face was so severe.

"I'll do it." His voice was completely level, decided. The vibrations of his voice and the determination that those words held reverberated off the walls of the small waiting room and into the hearts of its other occupants, sparking hope.

"You have the same blood type as Fujioka-san?" the doctor asked, his curiosity aroused. This, after all, could save her life.

Mori simply nodded, affirming that he indeed shared the same blood type as she.

"Well, son, come with me and we will get you prepped." The doctor told him, escorting out of the room.

Mori never looked back to the rest of the occupants in the room, his mind already focused on saving the girl whose life hung in the balance. It was the least he could do, since he failed to protect her.

* * *

A short time later, or so it seemed to him though the darkness of the halls proved otherwise, both he and Haruhi lay in hospital beds in the same room. The doctor had commended him on his bravery, stating it was a noble thing he had done and it certainly saved her life, but he didn't deserve praise or admiration. He was positive, without a shadow of a doubt, that if roles were reversed and it was him that needed a blood transfusion, she would have done the same.

Haruhi always did have a way of saving others.

Though it was now very late, he had been unable to sleep, afraid that if he took his eyes off the girl next to him she might be gone when he opened them again. He had been so dangerously close to that scenario actually coming to fruition today, his body shuddered violently at the thought.

He didn't feel like she looked any better than she did when they first arrived at the hospital but the doctor swore that his blood would help her to recover. She didn't have that tube lodged in her throat any longer, she was breathing on her own and there were far less tubes running from her arms but she still didn't look like Haruhi yet.

Her skin was a pale, ashen and there were dark circles under her eyes. Even in her sleep her forehead was creased with worry. Or at least he hoped it was worry but he knew it was more likely pain that distorted her features. Shades of black and blue peppered her chin, clear indications that her attacker's hands had been holding her there. Her bottom lip was swollen from where Yosuke had hit her. He felt a powerful surge of bitterness churn in his stomach. The idea that, that degenerate had left physical evidence of his presence on her body made him feel sick, that boy never had a right to touch her.

_**No one **_did.

He still couldn't fathom the concept that anyone would want to harm her. Haruhi was blunt, that was undeniable, but she wasn't cruel or judgmental of others. Haruhi was considerate although she tended to voice that in rather frank terms, she always meant well. The kind words she had offered him in his few moments of need had always brought a peace to him. Why were human beings so willing to hurt each other?

Mori hoped that she would recover soon, he couldn't bear to see her this way, broken and battered. He had never hated anyone before but he would certainly not be upset if some terrible misfortune befell the bastard that did this to her.

He removed his gaze from her momentarily, staring up at the pale grey corrugated ceiling. He didn't know why the doctor insisted he stay overnight, he didn't feel any different than before, just a little tired. He was informed that he gave Haruhi several pints of blood, more than someone his size should have given at one time, but in truth he would have bled himself dry for her. It was his fault she was in the position she was now, his heart wrenched in his chest, his teeth ground together in his skull.

He'd never felt this way before, this surpassed the guilt he once felt for Mitskuni's cavities by far.

Haruhi whimpered next to him, tossing gently on the bed. She was mumbling, her words weren't coherent, he couldn't decipher what she was saying but she seemed to be struggling.

Suddenly, her eyes shot open and she screamed his name. "Mori-senpai!" She thrashed around the bed, jostling the tubes in her arms, they tugged in her skin sickeningly.

He tore the IV from his arm, not caring that he was doing damage to himself. He was by her side in a moment, his hands cradling her face softly.

"I'm right here, Haruhi." He said, but she didn't seem to register his presence. Her breathing was shallow, her eyes were unfocused, somewhere far away from here. He reached around her pressing the button to call the nurse knowing this was far outside his area of expertise.

Moments later there was a flurry of activity around the petite girl, she was injected with something and seconds later she fell back against the pillows, motionless.

Mori backed away from her allowing the nurses to care for her and couldn't help it, his mouth formed a grim line and his eyes watered. He would never admit it to anyone, not that anyone else even cared, but he was really sensitive.

People around him always assumed that, because of his quiet demeanor, he was emotionless, indifferent, or some even accused him of being callous, when in truth, he was extremely sensitive. Never voicing or projecting his feelings forced him to keep them inside, making the emotional blows he did receive that much harder and devastating.

He didn't want to see this happening to her. It hurt, it hurt so badly to see her literally fighting for her life. A few drops of moisture travelled their way down his face, he didn't bother to wipe them away, not caring who may judge him for this.

He felt a hand on his arm and he turned in the direction of its owner. One of the nurses was smiling at him warmly, her kind eyes shining at him.

"Don't worry. Your girlfriend will be just fine. She was just having a bad dream, we think." She said quietly. "Just an effect of the trauma she has been through but her condition is still stable. It's very sweet to see you so concerned, you love her, don't you?"

He didn't bother correcting the woman's assumption of his relationship with her. Haruhi didn't belong to him, he knew that. His heart squeezed painfully in his chest, his left hand moved to grasp the fabric right above the distressed organ, and he wondered absently why it reacted that way.

The kind nurse pointed out the trail of blood coming from his arm where he had torn his IV out and he complied when she said she should bandage it. After that she hooked him up to another IV in the opposite arm. After that, she left him alone with his thoughts, eerie silence returned to the room.

His thoughts happened to linger on the woman's comment.

Yes, he cared for Haruhi.

Yes, he thought she was cute and adorable.

Yes, he would do just about anything she asked of him.

Yes, he always enjoyed carrying her, when she allowed it. Her comfortable weight in his arms or on his shoulders brought him great joy.

Yes, he would lay down his life to protect her.

But that didn't mean he loved her… did it?

He couldn't help but correlate his thoughts on Haruhi to his cousin, Mitskuni. He felt all these things for the small blonde that was his best friend and he did love Mitskuni but still, what he felt for Haruhi seemed different somehow, in a way he couldn't place, so it couldn't possibly be love.

Fatigue hit Mori very suddenly. He was finally starting to feel the effects of his own blood loss, he may have felt fine when he was lying down but he now felt unsteady on his feet. His body was telling him that he needed rest. Today had been… emotional, for sure.

He shuffled over to her bedside, he swept the hair from her face. She actually looked peaceful now, like she was resting, she didn't look tense the way she had before.

He bent down, placing his lips softly to her forehead, he kissed her. As he realized what he had done, he straightened, blushing slightly. He was embarrassed by his brazen action but he couldn't deny that it felt good. She was warm now, not like when he had first picked her up on campus….

He moved away from her, laying down in his own uncomfortable bed. Sleep soon overtaking him, his last thought was of the girl laying just an arm's length away.

* * *

Wow, this chapter and the one previous were very heavy, the next will be much lighter as our heroine begins to recover from her trauma. Who will she come to depend on during the healing process? Read to find out! (though I'm sure you can guess!)


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY aspect of Ouran High School Host Club, characters or otherwise, nor do I make any profit from this story. It's purely for fun. Everything belongs to Bisco Hatori, thanks to her we are all able to share these fantastic characters!**

Hello everyone! This is the last chapter that will take place in the past, the next installment will return us to the current timeline. It's a little long and I debated several times on breaking it up to create two separate chapters but I felt it was cleaner this way, so hopefully it doesn't feel like it drags on, but enough of my rambling. On with the show!

* * *

_**Chapter 6**_

_**Restoration of Normalcy**_

Mori was discharged from the hospital the day after his transfusion, the doctor who had performed the procedure giving him a clean bill of health, just suggesting that he may want to take some iron in the coming days to help his body regenerate. Lucky for him, he was very active so it took his body no time to bounce back from the loss of blood.

He just hoped Haruhi could do the same.

Though he had been released from the hospital, he was unable to leave, no one was keeping him here though, just himself. He opted instead to stay by Haruhi's side until she woke up.

Everyone was currently staying in the posh hotel next door, Kyoya had arranged for them all to stay there, should they decide to and naturally, they all did. Mori didn't leave Haruhi's side until visiting hours were over and he was escorted out of the building. He wasn't trying to be troublesome, he was just so frightened something would happen in his absence and she would truly be gone. Most often it was he, Tamaki and Haruhi's father that kept a constant vigil by her bedside.

They were all exhausted after countless sleepless hours waiting for Haruhi to come around and soon Tamaki and Ranka-san retired to their rooms to get some rest, since Haruhi's condition had improved drastically they figured they could relax a little. The doctor had assured all of them several times that she was stable and she would be coming around anytime now.

Mori opted to stay, he knew he would find no peace in the silence of his hotel room. He had already spent the night before sitting awake, staring into the darkness, thinking of nothing other than being by her side again. In addition, though he knew it truly didn't matter, he felt his prayers would somehow be more effective if he were able to chant them next to her.

His eyes swept over her, the anguish so painfully apparent within them, he reached out to grasp her hand, careful not to disturb her IV, he cradled it gently in his own hands. "Please wake up…" he begged.

* * *

Haruhi regained consciousness late on the third evening of her hospital stay. She could hear a rather obnoxious beeping to her left, her eyes opened sluggishly, searching in the dull light of the room for the source of her irritation.

Very quickly, she realized that she was not at home, in her own bed. She shot up but a sharp pain in her side caused her to fall back into the mountain of pillows surrounding her. She grit her teeth against the sensation, it almost felt as if she had torn something. Her mind reeled, where the hell was she? What was going on?

She took a deep breath, she was a rational person, and she could figure this out. Haruhi forced herself to think, to remember and all at once, several things snapped into place. She had been accosted at school by a classmate, that scum bag Yosuke had attacked her… stabbed her. That explained the sharp pain in her side.

Her eyes swept over the room again and she quickly realized she was in the hospital. How had she gotten here? Haruhi had been absolutely positive that she was going to die, bleeding to death on the campus of her school, but someone had rescued her…

"Mori-senpai!" she said out loud, not meaning to, her memory just forcing his name to fall from her lips. The last thing she could remember before her eyes had closed for good was him screaming for Kyoya. She couldn't remember any time in the past that her senpai's voice had been so deafening, so desperate.

She felt the weight of someone's hand settle on her shoulder, pinning her to the bed with light force. Her eyes swept up to meet a pair of steel grey eyes, their owner was the very man she had just unconsciously called for.

"You shouldn't move too much." Mori told her, his face pinched in concern. He was almost asleep when he heard her call him, wrenching him back into consciousness. He could still feel the accelerated beat of his pulse, the adrenaline that her scream had caused coursing through his veins.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice thick and hoarse with sleep. She tried to swallow against the tightness in her throat, discovering it was difficult. Her mouth was so dry, she needed something to drink.

She watched as he moved to her bedside table and poured her a glass of water, inserting a straw into the cup before holding it to her lips for her to drink. She didn't protest, she brought her chapped lips to the straw and drank deeply, enjoying the cool feel of the water as it slid down her throat. In no time the cup was empty and she felt better than she had moments ago.

Clearing her throat, she asked again, "What happened?"

She felt ridiculous having to ask, it had happened to her, she should know, shouldn't she? But then again she was unconscious for hours, maybe even days, she wasn't really sure.

He looked around the room for a moment, clearly uncomfortable. Should he tell her everything that happened? He wasn't well versed in these sorts of affairs, Kyoya would do a far better job of this, he decided against telling her. He would allow the younger man to fill in the blanks she had. He sighed before responding.

"I think I should let everyone else know you're awake."

* * *

After Haruhi was thoroughly, yet gently, smothered by both her father and Tamaki she was able to gather critical information from Kyoya. He perched himself on the edge of her bed and relayed to her that she was indeed attacked by one, Kobayashi Yosuke, who was now being psychiatrically evaluated from his prison cell. She found out how she had been just a bet for Yosuke, how he had never actually cared for her, which didn't surprise her in the least bit, her distaste for the man growing with every second, with each new piece of information.

Kyoya smirked as he told her about how Honey was the one that apprehended him, leaving a very bruised and mutilated hostage for the Ootori police force to collect.

She couldn't stop the smile that spread on her face at that information as well. The stupid guy probably didn't even know what hit him because Honey's looks were deceiving. He certainly didn't look like the most skilled martial artist in the nation even though it was common knowledge to those at the University.

He continued, confessing that it was Mori who had originally found her, how he had been screaming for Kyoya to help her. Kyoya's mouth twisted into an involuntary frown as he recalled this memory and very suddenly she found herself in the arms of her friend.

"Haruhi… when I saw you laying there in his arms, I thought you were already gone." He admitted and though he was frightened for her, he couldn't help the small bit of him that resented Haruhi for making him feel this vulnerable. He'd spent his entire life cultivating his cold and calculated nature. He was removed from creating emotional bonds with others but he couldn't keep that façade in place with her. There had been several times in the past where she had seen through the cracks in his mask of disregard, she forced him to feel this way, without being conscious of it herself and for that he hated her, even if the love he held for her outweighed it.

She could hear the tightness in his voice, the faint trembling of his limbs and she knew he was fighting back his emotions, trying desperately to continue to portray the detached, unreachable person he usually was.

Haruhi wrapped her arms around him as best she could without jostling the tubes that were plunged into her arms, they restrained her motions significantly.

"I'm sorry Kyoya." She said, for the first time she dropped the 'senpai' from his name as she addressed him. "I never meant for this to happen. I should have been more cautious like you told me to be."

He squeezed her tightly but carefully, sure not to aggravate any of her wounds, before releasing her.

"Yes, well, just be sure to do so in the future. This certainly isn't a situation I would like to see repeated, it's been rather troublesome to deal with."

Slender, pale fingers reached up to adjust the frames on his face, hiding the hint of amusement that his dark eyes held.

She smiled, knowingly, and waited patiently as he told her what had happened while she was dead to the world.

"You've been unconscious for nearly three days and you had to receive a blood transfusion because you had lost so much." He told her, but didn't dare tell her that she needed a donor. Though he felt Haruhi should know, he had sworn to Mori that he wouldn't breathe a word of it to her. He assumed the larger man didn't want Haruhi to feel indebted to him but his true reasoning would remain unknown, Kyoya knew he would probably never understand why he didn't want to share this information with Haruhi.

Haruhi's eyes widened at this news, she knew that she had come close to death because she had felt it. She could vividly recall the pressing cold, the paralyzing numbness of her limbs, the strangled breaths. She shuddered, Haruhi had stared death, oblivion, in the face and still she was here, breathing easily and it was all because of Mori-senpai. If he had not been there, she knew she would have died.

Kyoya had to excuse himself after about an hour or so, he was due at a lecture this afternoon. Tamaki took that moment to excuse himself as well, he bid Haruhi goodbye before trailing after his friend. Her father stayed with her until he had to go to work, he apologized profusely to her for having to leave but she understood that his life couldn't come to a standstill just because she was in the hospital. He still had a work schedule to fulfill and bills that needed to be paid, so he had to go to work.

Haruhi was not left lonely for long though as both Kaoru and Hikaru entered the room shortly thereafter. Hikaru had a bouquet of flowers in one hand, his other holding his brothers.

Haruhi noted how lost he looked and it broke her heart knowing she was the one that placed the expression there. She didn't mean to worry them so much but then again she never would have dreamed something like this would happen to her.

Hikaru placed the flowers on her side table, each of the boys moved to one side of her bed, flanking her, they held one of her hands delicately in their own.

"How do you feel?" Kaoru asked, the first daring to break the silence in the room.

"Better." She said and it was true. She did feel better than she had when she first woke up. His concern made her feel warm, cherished, and she couldn't help but send a silent prayer to her mother in heaven. Somehow she felt her mother had guided these men into her life and she was grateful for it for she knew without them, she wouldn't be alive right now.

Haruhi had always liked Kaoru even when he was being obnoxious. Though he was mischievous, he tended to be more grounded when it came to others feelings. He was slightly less selfish than his counterpart, Hikaru, and because of that she felt more connected to this twin than the other. He didn't push others as close to the breaking point as Hikaru tended to.

Not to say she didn't like Hikaru because she did, more so now than before, especially since they had gone through many trials within their friendship. Haruhi had gained an improved understanding of the man and with that knowledge she acquired tolerance. Hikaru had grown very much in the past year or so, reaching a higher form of maturity than he had previously known but he still had a long way to go when it concerned his emotions. Hikaru still tended to throw his own feelings at others without first making them understand why he felt that way, but he was learning, Haruhi could tell.

"That's good to hear." He said, his answering smile soft and heartfelt.

Hikaru was still unable to form any sort of coherent phrase to Haruhi. He could feel the constriction in his throat as he fought back emotions he had yet to resolve. He still loved Haruhi, even though she didn't, couldn't, love him back but that didn't change the way he felt about her. He still worried about her, cared for her, only wanted the best for her and he knew what happened to her she didn't deserve.

Hikaru's free hand balled into a fist at his side, fingernails digging into the soft flesh of his palm. He hated the man that did this to her, though he had felt anger before, this surpassed anything he'd experienced by far. Murderous rage would be an appropriate title for what he was currently feeling but he didn't need to project those feelings onto Haruhi. She just needed to focus her energy on recovering.

He brought her delicate hand to his lips and pressed them there gently, overwhelmingly grateful that she was still here to be with them. Hikaru knew he couldn't speak just yet, this was the only way he could think to convey to her how he felt.

Haruhi's eyes softened at her friend's gesture of affection, normally she wouldn't allow this sort of display but she knew he needed to do so. Just as this ordeal was difficult for her, it was difficult for her companions as well, perhaps even more so. Haruhi's mind and spirit were strong, she knew she would recover and dictate her life as normal, just as she had before this occurred. These sorts of situations happened everyday to countless other people, if she just gave up now it would be a disgrace to others who had suffered worse and still carried on.

She knew now that one of her earliest assessments of these affluent young men had been correct, they _**were**_removed from the severity of the world. They didn't understand the dangers and difficulties of others around them and due to that this was much more of a shock for them than it was for her.

They sat in amiable silence for a number of minutes, each person taking comfort in the presence of the others.

Eventually Hikaru spoke up, "Haruhi, we have to go. Mom scheduled a photo shoot for us in Milan, so we won't be around for the next week or so but please take care of yourself. We have our cell phones if you need to reach us, just one call and we will come straight back home, okay?" he said with a shaky but determined voice, he didn't want to leave her side, but he had to.

"Thank you, Hikaru. I'm sure I'll be fine, so long as Tamaki and my dad actually give me time to rest."

He smiled for her then, the first since he had taken his place by her side. He reached up and kissed her cheek, it took every ounce of his self control not to then press his lips to hers. He wanted to, especially since she and Tono were no longer a couple but again, this wasn't the right time and he knew she wouldn't reciprocate, so he left it at that before he straightened and strode out of the room, leaving Kaoru to say his goodbyes.

Kaoru's amber eyes trailed after his brothers retreating form, only after he left the room did he return his attention to Haruhi. He kissed her on the opposite cheek "Get better soon, Haruhi. For us, okay?" he said before he took his leave as well, leaving Haruhi alone with her thoughts.

Haruhi tried to sleep after their departure, she knew she needed to rest if she had any hopes of recovering quickly. However, she spent more time trying to get comfortable, a sense of unease seeping into her bones as she lay there. It was like… something was missing.

When Kyoya had spoken to her, she had gotten the distinct feeling that he was withholding a valuable piece of information though she couldn't imagine what it could be. She found herself wishing Mori-senpai was still here, his presence had soothed her, made her feel peaceful. Haruhi knew she should truly be craving her father's company but he always made such a fuss over her. She didn't want to be near Tamaki, the stress of their recent breakup wouldn't be comforting in the least. Kyoya wasn't available, not that she necessarily thought he would agree to stay with her anyway. The twins were out as well. She thought about Honey as well but again his excitable nature was sure to aggravate her.

She looked over at the phone that was sitting at her bedside table, mulling the idea over before she phoned the front desk.

* * *

Ten minutes passed, possibly less before Mori walked through the door to Haruhi's hospital room, his forehead wrinkled with worry, his questioning eyes meeting her very relieved ones.

"Are you okay?" he asked, genuine concern ringing in his usually monotone voice.

"I feel much better, thank you." She said, she couldn't contain the smile that blossomed on her face. She felt so relieved having him here, she didn't know why, Mori was taking away the anxiety she felt upon waking up.

"I heard what you did for me senpai…" she began.

His eyes narrowed slightly, he was not going to be happy with whoever told her, he made them swear…

"Thank you, for saving me from that psychopath. For bringing me to the hospital and staying with me while I recovered. When you left today, after everyone left, I found myself craving your company again, that's why I had the receptionist call you here."

His gaze on her softened dramatically, it seemed no one had betrayed his wish, she didn't know that he had supplied her with blood. It seemed she didn't recall him ever being here on the night of her attack, when she'd woken and screamed for him and for that he was thankful. He didn't want Haruhi to feel obligated to him in any way which was why he requested no one inform her of his supposed "sacrifice" though he wouldn't call it that. He was also incredibly touched that she desired his company, he couldn't imagine why. He never made for much conversation but if that's what it took to make his Haruhi well and comfortable, that's what he would do.

'_His Haruhi?' _he replayed the thought over again, _'where had that come from?'_

Mori moved to sit in the lumpy, uncomfortable chair next to her bed. The one that he'd spent the past two days in. He sat facing her, he couldn't deny that now she looked much better. Color was returning to her skin, life was flowing through her body once again, her eyes were beginning to take on that familiar sparkle he always saw there. His blood was helping to repair her broken body and he was pleased that he was able to benefit her in some way but he knew that he could and would give her anything he had to repent for letting this happen to her.

Haruhi noted her senpai's eyes on her but it didn't make her feel self-conscious because his gaze was warm. It made her feel at ease and as he looked at her, she couldn't help but assess him as well. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt, a pair of grey sweatpants and some sandals. She blushed as she quickly deciphered she had probably woke him up by asking him to come all the way back here. She was embarrassed by her lack of forethought, he obviously rushed here to see her, to cater to her. She now felt like a spoiled child, one who clearly lacked any concern for others. And yet, she couldn't help but notice the way his dark skin tone contrasted beautifully with the white of the t-shirt, how his hair looked slightly ruffled from the rigors of his sleep.

She chastised herself mentally for the turn her thoughts had taken. It was rude to sit and ogle a person this way. She was also embarrassed. Sure she had noticed how attractive the boys she had grown to know so well were but suddenly Mori-senpai seemed so much more alluring to her. It was strange but she couldn't provide an explanation so she shrugged it off.

She apologized hastily for waking him up, for asking him to come here to keep her company. She stopped rambling as he raised his hand, palm facing her, signifying her that it was fine.

She sighed heavily in relief, happy that she had not irritated him. Haruhi observed the dark circles under his eyes, the extremely sluggish way in which he was blinking. He was tired, she could tell and she felt guilty for making him come here.

"Are you tired senpai?" she inquired, already knowing the answer.

"Aa."

"Why don't you go home and get some sleep. I shouldn't have asked you to come here again…" she said, remorse heavy in her tone.

"No. I'll stay." He told her, he reached his arm, patting her head lightly. He leaned back in the chair as best he could, arms crossed behind his head, his eyes on the ceiling.

It didn't show on his face but on the inside Mori was thrilled. Haruhi called him for comfort, not Tamaki, not the twins… she had called him. He smiled, in spite of himself. When he received the call from the receptionist, he was worried at first, she assured him nothing was wrong, just that the young lady requested his company but he wouldn't believe it until he saw her with his own eyes.

Haruhi's weariness was beginning to make itself known, she had entertained several guests today and now that Mori-senpai was here, she felt like she could fall asleep. She yawned as wide as she could manage, making sure she didn't stress the stitches that currently held the wound on her bottom lip shut. She brought a hand up, rubbing her eye with the heel of her hand. She was so very tired.

Mori heard her exhale heavily, it seemed she was just as exhausted as he was. Without asking, Mori moved to the bed, slipping his hands beneath her body to tuck the sheets and blankets around her snugly. Once this task was done he reached out his hand, hesitantly, to brush her hair from her face, his movements echoing those of a few nights previous, his knuckles grazing her lightly.

She blushed at the contact and his act of kindness, finding it rather pleasant, his skin seeming to warm hers as they touched. It wasn't often that Mori displayed this type of familiarity with her, it was commonplace with the twins and Tamaki, they regularly molested her without her consent but Mori never had, outside of patting her on the head, so she enjoyed it.

He noticed her reaction to him and retracted his hand, before he could realize what he was doing, perhaps it was a result of his lack of sleep, he said "You're so cute, Haruhi."

Haruhi felt the heat of her blush from the tips of her toes to the top of her head and she felt mildly annoyed that she had reacted in such a way, he was tired, this was normal behavior for a sleep deprived Mori-senpai. This wasn't the first time he called her cute, after all.

"Thank you, senpai… I think you're quite handsome yourself."

Mori's heart felt as though it would beat out of his chest at her appraisal of him, his eyes moved to the side, unable to look her in the eye any longer. Sure he had been complimented on his looks before but hearing it from Haruhi, it felt nice.

"Thank you, senpai. I think I can rest now. Good night." She said, her eyelids already falling heavily.

He moved back to the chair, exhausted himself. He had been unable to sleep since the first night he spent here with her. He was pleased that she had woken up and seemed to be recovering. This emotional roller coaster was draining away his energy. He covered his eyes with his arm. For all the happiness he felt there was still one nagging question that had been rolling around in his brain all day long.

Did he actually love Haruhi?

* * *

A week after her ordeal, Haruhi was released from the hospital, though she still wasn't able to return to school. It would be another week before she could regularly attend classes again but even then the doctor warned her that she shouldn't overexert herself.

Her father insisted on staying with her during her recovery period but she declined, stating it would be nice to have some peace and quiet. In the hospital, she was constantly being doted on, unable to relax unless Mori was with her. She thought the new found dependence she had for him was strange, sure she had always enjoyed his company before but now she felt compelled to see him. She assumed it was the afterglow of his heroic actions in saving her life, she couldn't be sure.

Ranka-san requested that Mori and Honey escort her back to her apartment since they lived closest to her home because he was unable to take any more time off of work, he would be unable to do so himself. Both readily agreed, they made sure she was comfortable and brought her food that their maids at the main house had insisted on providing. Haruhi's eyes lit up as she noticed the platter of ootoro that was included in those delicacies. Honey supplied her with a strawberry cake that she couldn't help but think was more for himself, as he ate about half of it while he was there, but she appreciated the gesture none the less.

The two took extreme care to settle her in bed just so, Honey moved about her bedroom, laying out pillows just the right way while Mori held her in his arms until the bed was ready to receive its mistress. They propped her foot up on a pillow to isolate her injured ankle. Honey had already portioned out her medications for her which he laid on her bedside table along with a glass of water so she would have something to take them with when the time came. He reminded her several times of when she was to take them.

When Haruhi had finally settled into her bed Mori presented her with the gift he'd gotten for her. He handed her a stuffed animal, it was a raccoon that very much resembled his own pet. Though Tamaki and the twin's comparison of her to a raccoon irritated her, she found this to be cute as she doubted he would have chosen this based on their taunting, rather that he, himself, enjoyed raccoons. She didn't doubt either that he chose a stuffed animal based on Honey-kun's affinity for cute things, his cousin being his only real friend it was probably difficult for him to choose gifts for others. She was touched by his efforts and she genuinely liked the present.

"Thank you, senpai! It's very cute." She said, a bright smile on her face as she beamed up to him.

A faint dusting of pink settled on his cheeks but he said nothing, he was just pleased that she liked the gift.

Honey tried, unsuccessfully, to convince Haruhi that they could stay and take care of her but she declined again. She was eager for her life to return to normal again.

They finally relented, leaving Haruhi to be on her own before reminding her that they were just a phone call away. She thanked them, and then they left, leaving Haruhi on her own for the first time in a week.

* * *

Haruhi's recovery went off without a hitch. Though she had assured everyone she would be fine, someone managed to "just stop by" and see her every day. Her father visited her on the days he didn't have to work, and the more Haruhi showed improvement, the more he returned to normal. The others filled in the gaps on days he could not see her.

Haruhi noticed that Tamaki was somehow always absent, part of her was disappointed but a greater part of her knew it was for the best. Honey visited her every day, whether it was his turn to look after her or not. Mori was unable to help as he was obligated to continue training his students for the upcoming kendo competition, Honey kept him informed though, giving him daily updates of Haruhi's condition. Honey knew that Takashi was worried about Haruhi.

She returned to school the following Tuesday, gaining the go-ahead from her doctor. Haruhi couldn't be happier or more relieved to get back to normal, to continue her education and get that much closer to her goal.

When she walked out her front door that morning, ready to walk to school, a car was already waiting for her. Mori and Honey stood in front of it, the smaller of the pair with an impossibly large smile on his face, the other looked as indifferent as usual.

Though Haruhi thought the act was kind, she couldn't help but feel mildly irritated. She didn't want everyone to treat her like a lost child from now on. She had made her peace with what happened to her, she would be more careful in the future. Other than that, there was nothing more to worry about. She wasn't made of glass, ready to shatter at any moment.

"Good morning Honey-kun, Mori-senpai." She said, trying to force the proper amount of enthusiasm into her voice.

Either Honey didn't notice Haruhi's irritation or he decided to ignore it, not bothering to acknowledge the inflection in her voice.

"Haru-chan! How do you feel? Takashi and I thought you might like a ride to the University today! Come on! I'll even let you hold Usa-chan on the way!" He exclaimed, as if that one offer would entice her into joining them.

"Thanks, but I think I'll walk to school. I haven't been able to do that in so long. I just want my life to get back to normal."

"But Haru-chan!" Honey protested, his eyes becoming as big as saucers, tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes. "Please!" he begged.

"No thanks, I'll walk." She brushed aside his unnecessary concern.

What was the big deal? The University was only a few blocks away, she walked there every day before this happened and the doctor told her she was healed, her ankle didn't hurt anymore and neither did her side, there was no reason for their concern.

Honey wasn't pleased by Haruhi's dismissive attitude, he knew her condition was greatly improved but he still didn't want her to strain herself after two weeks of nearly no physical activity. Perhaps he was being overly cautious but he knew Takashi felt the same way too.

A sly smile slid onto his features as an interesting thought popped into his head.

"Takashi! You don't think Haru-chan should push herself either, do you?" he inquired to the taller man.

Mori was taken off guard by his cousin's question, though it didn't show on his face. Why would it matter what he thought? Haruhi wasn't going to give in and ride in the car with them, he knew that and he was fairly certain Mitskuni realized that as well. If that was the case, he was just going to walk her to school whether she asked him to or not, to keep an eye out for her. His guilt had yet to subside for letting this happen to her so even if she didn't consent to getting a ride to school he would still escort her himself, he didn't mind walking… and yet he did agree with Mitskuni. He didn't think Haruhi should be pushing herself but he knew she could be stubborn when she wanted to be, there was no point in forcing her. It may even push her to do something more drastic. None the less, he felt obligated to answer the question that his small companion had posed.

"No, she shouldn't." he said simply, he looked over at the small brunette and noticed her raised eyebrow. She was irritated, he could tell and he couldn't help the small bit of resentment he felt towards Mitskuni, he didn't want to get into the middle of this. If Haruhi didn't want to ride in the car with them there was nothing he could do, he didn't want Haruhi to become angry with him and he didn't want her to get injured further. It was a catch-22 but he wanted to do what was going to make her happy, just as he would if roles were reversed and it was Mitskuni.

"See, Haru-chan!" the blonde started "We just want you to be safe."

Haruhi stood looking at the small, golden haired man. She understood that he was just concerned for her but she truly couldn't cope with the thought that they were looking at her like she was the most fragile person to grace the face of the earth.

"Thank you" she said, "but I'm still not accepting." She began to make her way down the staircase fully intending on walking all the way to the University.

As her foot reached the last step, her clumsiness made its presence known and she slipped but she managed to steady herself on the handrail.

Her face flushed as her embarrassment grew, she was agitated that she would be so careless as to fall when she was trying to convince them she was just fine.

Honey's eyes went wide as Haruhi slipped, he yelled "See, Haru-chan! I told you" panic was very evident in the pitch of his voice. "You'll get hurt, please just come with us."

Haruhi's irritation and embarrassment combined and she took her frustrations out on Honey, she exploded.

"What is wrong with you? So I tripped, it isn't a big deal. I'm fine, just leave me be." She yelled, her face growing two shades darker. She was furious at herself for being such a klutz, now he would continue to worry over her needlessly. She cringed as she thought about how long it would be until she could walk to school on her own again, if he even allowed her to walk at all. Knowing Honey, he may even take it one step further and force her into a wheelchair.

Honey's jaw hung open, unable to process the fact that Haruhi had just shouted at him. Haruhi never shouted at him, she always saved those sorts of outbursts for Tamaki and the twins.

"Haru-chan…" he said before stopping and pouting. He wasn't sure what to say.

She turned on her heels, determined to walk to school, even if it killed her. However, she found herself unable to continue as she was gingerly lifted into the air, someone's hands had caught her beneath her arms.

"Wha..?" she squeaked.

Mori lifted the young girl up and moved her to settle on his back. She caught on quickly, winding her arms around his neck, fastening her legs around his waist. He gently pried her bag from her hand, holding both his and hers in one hand while the other hooked beneath one of her knees, keeping her solidly in place upon his broad back.

"Senpai, what are you doing?" she asked, puzzled by this new development.

"We're walking to school!" Honey chirped, answering for the taller boy. He instantly understood Takashi's intentions and the smaller boy had seemingly recovered from Haruhi's heated temper.

Haruhi blinked owlishly, her mouth forming a little 'o'.

"You said you wanted to walk, so we will too." Honey clarified for the tawny haired girl.

"Then you don't need to carry me, I'll be fine." She said to Mori. She was sure he didn't want to be treated as some form of transportation, he didn't have to subject himself to this.

"I don't mind." He replied, and from her place on his back she could feel the vibrations of his voice through his body.

She debated on protesting again but she knew odds were good that he wouldn't relent and put her down so she made an effort to get comfortable.

Honey smiled at his two friends, content now that Haruhi was finally allowing them to help. He knew Takashi would not allow Haruhi to be injured further, the taller of the pair had confided in him that he felt responsible for her attack. Honey had done his best to convince his cousin that it was in no way his fault but he knew that Takashi would not readily forgive himself, instead he would choose to be Haruhi's protector, her shield, from now on. He resisted the urge to smile wider.

Throughout the time they spent at Ouran with Haruhi, Honey had slowly begun to analyze the interactions of his cousin and their friend.

Takashi had taken to Haruhi with relative ease, something he didn't often do. He knew his best friend wasn't anti-social but his quiet demeanor seemed to give people the impression that he was, making it difficult for him to create any sort of bond or friendship with others outside of their family. But Haruhi never seemed bothered by his limited speech, which in turn made Takashi comfortable around her.

He also noted Takashi's protective nature towards the girl, similar to what he was so used to. At first, he had been almost jealous of the attention, scarce though it may be, that Takashi bestowed upon her. His cousin never paid attention to anyone outside of himself, and of course his younger brother Satoshi, for as long as he could remember but he soon realized that Takashi's feelings for Haruhi were far different than what he carried for him.

Little by little, Honey came to realize that Takashi was falling in love with Haruhi and for a brief moment, he felt his heart ache with that knowledge. He would no longer be the sole focus of Takashi's attentions but in spite of that, he was happy because he knew it was important for his best friend to find others he cared about, to find his own happiness. The two always knew one day they would have to separate, but he never would have guessed that Haruhi would be the catalyst and that Takashi would be the one that would begin to pull away. He always imagined he would have to slowly ease his tall companion into the idea of separate lives. Honey was fairly certain Takashi had yet to be cognizant of the feelings he harbored for the girl so he would take it upon himself to get the ball rolling, so to speak.

Years of practiced restraint and self-control had been drilled into his stoic friend, which didn't exactly stunt him emotionally but made it harder for him to realize his own desires and wants. Honey would help him understand exactly how he felt for her, it was the least he could do. Takashi had devoted his entire life up until now to serving him, it was high time he returned the favor.

So today he would carry his own bag, he wanted Takashi to dote on Haruhi exclusively, he was a grown man he could handle this much at least.

From her place on his back, Haruhi mumbled "Are you sure this is alright?"

"Aa. You shouldn't stress your injuries." He stated, matter of fact.

"But I'm healed." She argued.

"Haruhi?"

"Yes, senpai?"

"Relax." He said, hoping she would calm down and accept his help. He had truly intended to let her walk on her own but his anxiety increased tenfold when she had tripped, he was unable to stand by and watch in case something were to occur.

In truth, he was content to have her on his back, to carry her around campus. Not only would it effectively show everyone else on campus that she was under _**his**_ protection, it would also provide him with the added advantage to remain in her company. He'd honestly missed being in her presence while he was busy training the past week and even though he was pleased that she was recovering, he couldn't help feeling saddened that she was starting to lose her dependence on him. He still couldn't be sure why exactly she'd allowed him to be so near to her until now, whether she was just grateful because he'd saved her life or if it was some unseen side effect of his blood that now flowed through her veins. He felt truly connected to this woman now and he wondered if she felt the same.

Haruhi obeyed, now feeling like a disobedient child. She should have just accepted their ride but her tenacious and independent nature didn't allow her to. She knew her friends were genuinely worried over her well being and she should have just readily accepted their kindness.

She felt ashamed for being so short with Honey earlier.

"Honey-kun, I'm sorry for yelling at you, I know you only wanted to help." She apologized, hoping she hadn't done any irreparable damage.

His answering smile was gentle and understanding. "It's okay, Haru-chan. Just let Takashi and I take care of you sometimes, ne?"

She nodded, making a note to be more appreciative of such gestures in the future.

The walk to campus was fairly uneventful, Honey laughed and ran around Mori's feet, talking about this and that while the taller man grunted in response every now and again. Haruhi wondered how he didn't become tired with her added weight on his back but his stride never slowed, his gait completely normal even though she was there.

Haruhi couldn't help it as a deep blush began to form on her face as they walked across the campus. Everyone was staring shamelessly at her and her companions; they didn't even bother to hide their burning curiosity. She wasn't sure if that was due to the fact that she was being carried along by one of them or if it was because news of her attack had gotten around. In her distressed state she accidentally began tightening her small arms around the neck of the man who was carrying her, she only noticed this after he brought his hand up and ran his fingertips down the length of her forearm.

"Are you okay?" He questioned, he had felt her tense against his back, felt the pressure she was putting on his neck, though it caused him no discomfort he was concerned for her. Mori was frightened that she may be in pain, had he jostled her in some way aggravating her injuries, by chance?

"I'm sorry senpai! I didn't mean to hurt you, it's just… everyone is staring at me…"

She was feeling extremely self-conscious at this point and she wished she had just accepted the ride they had offered instead of allowing this.

"Don't worry about them, Haru-chan! Everyone is just happy to see you feeling better and back at school." Honey said, sounding absolutely optimistic and sure that this was indeed what the other students were thinking.

Mori responded simply by giving her a reassuring squeeze to the back of her knee, letting her know he was there to support her.

She appreciated the gesture, happy to know he was still here to support her even after everything she had put him through. She ducked her head so she wouldn't have to meet the questioning eyes of the other students, she nuzzled into her senpai's neck, reveling in how good he smelled. Haruhi briefly wondered if he wore a preferred cologne or if this was just his natural scent. She blushed an even darker shade of red as she realized what she was doing, she was glad he couldn't see her, she would have been mortified if he had noticed.

Honey, however, did happen to note Haruhi's condition and he giggled quietly to himself. He was thrilled because it seemed Haruhi cared for Takashi as well. He hoped they would soon come to realize that, together.

He wouldn't mind having Haruhi as a relative at all, in fact, he rather liked that idea.

* * *

Whew! Is everyone still with me? Yes? No? For those of you that stuck it through, thanks! Please, if you feel so inclined, let me know what you think by leaving a review. I'm very excited to get to the next chapter, I'm in the process of editing it right now and even I squeal like a fan girl every time I read through it! :) Again, thank you all for reading! You are the best motivation I could ever ask for!


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY aspect of Ouran High School Host Club, characters or otherwise, nor do I make any profit from this story. It's purely for fun. Everything belongs to Bisco Hatori, thanks to her we are all able to share these fantastic characters!**

Alright, with this chapter we return to the present place in time in Haruhi's kitchen. This chapter took me so much longer to create and edit than I intended so I hope you're pleased with the final product!

* * *

_**Chapter 7**_

_**Evolution**_

Haruhi wasn't sure how long she had been standing in her own kitchen just watching her senpai as he moved around. After thoroughly cleaning her tatami and properly disposing of the broken teacup, he brought down another to replace it. He prepared each of them a cup of tea, he was now currently holding out hers for her to accept.

She shook her head suddenly, effectively breaking out of the stupor she worked herself into, she reached for the offered beverage and held it firmly in her uninjured hand.

"Thank you, Mori-senpai. You didn't have to do all this, I could have done it myself."

He didn't respond.

The two enjoyed their tea in silence, each absorbed in their own thoughts.

For his part, Mori was trying to figure out what strategies he could implement so that Haruhi would begin to gain some level of comfort with her martial arts. Now more than ever he wanted her to excel at this, no, he needed her too. As much as he wanted to be, he knew he couldn't always be around to protect her. Some day their paths would diverge and he would have to leave her on her own. The thought unsettled him but he knew it to be the truth. The last thing he wanted was a situation similar to her last attack to take place but accidents and assaults occurred every day. With even a small understanding of martial arts, she would fare much better if that ever were to occur again. Basic defensive strategies could provide her the crucial leverage she may need to make it out of a dangerous situation.

Other than that he really, desperately wanted her to stop adding the senpai to his name. Though he would never admit it aloud to his smaller cousin, he was sorely jealous of him because Haruhi now regarded him in such familiar and friendly terms. He knew that, technically, Haruhi was still his kohai but he wanted her to be able to share the same sort of familiarity with him as well.

Haruhi, on the other hand, was debating whether or not she should thank her friend again for all the kind gestures and helpful things he had done for her since she had started college. She knew he would dismiss it as nothing but his concern for her was touching. Throughout her life, she couldn't recall anyone caring for her in the way he did, aside from her mother but that was so long ago now, just a faded memory.

It was true that her father did dote on her, when he was around, but those times were so few and far between. In all honesty, she was more a parental figure than he was. Haruhi constantly had to monitor his funds so that he wouldn't spend them on a new pair of shoes or makeup or some extraordinary outfit. She'd handled all the finances in the home since she was about six years old, including getting the rent paid on time and the groceries. Luckily, she'd received that scholarship to Ouran so there was no need to worry over her school expenses, as those were taken care of. With a father as juvenile as her own it was no wonder that she ended up becoming exceedingly independent. By the time he realized she was pulling away from him, it was too late and there was nothing more he could offer her as a parent.

Tamaki cared for her as well, however, he wasn't able to support her emotionally. Not that she needed required him to. Again, being as independent as she was she rarely relied upon others for assistance in any matter but Tamaki needed to be tended to far more than she did. The man's childish impulses, though endearing on some occasions, were a point of severe agitation for the woman. Once again she became the sole provider of strength and maturity in that relationship.

All of her relationships sometimes felt so taxing, it just became too exhausting. It was no wonder she was so jaded. Everyone in her life cared for her, she knew that, but all any of these people did was take and for that she couldn't fault them. They were all from a different world, one of privilege and decadence, they did not know how to give themselves freely to others because they'd never been required to do so. The only person, the only one out of the entire group of opulent young men, who gave without ever expecting something in return, was Mori-senpai. Haruhi couldn't help it as she became more conscious of her reserved friend, though she'd always admired him, she was starting to become increasingly fond of him.

Haruhi feared she was even beginning to develop feelings for him.

She wasn't sure how she felt about this new revelation or when it all had begun to come about. She wasn't worried like she was when she first realized her feelings for Tamaki, because this time she knew what it was. Of course, she had been scared of her love for Tamaki because the man was so scatter brained and annoying, how could she possibly have loved him? And yet, she had, she should have known that she would start to develop feelings for someone else at some point in time, still, this caught her off guard. Mori-senpai was the last person she ever thought she would even begin to consider.

Ever since she entered University and began spending more time with both Mori-senpai and Honey-kun she found herself becoming more attracted to the quiet man she knew in high school and she wondered what was changing.

Mori-senpai was the same as ever. Quiet, determined, protective, and kind. He paid a little more attention to her than he had in the past but that was bound to happen since he was now her sensei in the dojo. He was the same person she had always known, so perhaps the change was occurring within herself.

But she had never looked at her senpai this way before. Sure, she thought he was attractive, it was impossible not to notice. Despite all of the men in their circle of friends being gorgeous, she had been attracted to his demeanor the moment she'd laid eyes upon him but she was never able to muse over it for too long, what with Tamaki and the twins harassing her every waking moment, constantly competing for her attention. It seemed, without the added distraction of the more boisterous members of the host club she was able to focus her attentions on this man, to contemplate who he was. She could now clearly see all the positive attributes he possessed, his muted charm.

Mori-senpai was tall, one of the very first features anyone would notice about him. He was much taller than she, even if she stood on the tips of her toes she still wouldn't reach his shoulders. His features were dark, his black hair was kept in a messy style that for all of its simplicity seemed to add a bit of an edge to him, considering how withdrawn and placid he seemed to be. Haruhi always wondered if he preferred to keep it that way or if it was some sort of strategic measure to give his label of 'wild type' some credibility while he was in the host club. Regardless of the reasoning, she thought it suited him just fine. Of course, his eyes were opaque as well, they were darker than anyone else's she'd ever seen, a shockingly beautiful grey, like that of a blade, a color that she felt on another would be rather frightening but for him they were appropriate. He was fit, she'd noted in the few times she had seen his bare torso, his body had been toned and shaped through years of kendo and judo. He was muscular but not at all bulky, the activities he tended to participate in and his imposing height made him lean, the sinewy and powerful muscles that lay just beneath the tanned hue of his skin made him as close to physically perfect as she could dare to imagine.

Even so, he was so much more than that. His devotion to those he cared for was incredible, the attention and affection that he lavished on Honey-kun, though slight, clearly construed his warmth without being extravagant. She enjoyed his quiet nature, his serene temperament was a welcome change to the chaos the rest of her friends tended to bring to her life but she certainly wouldn't have thought just those things alone would make her fall for the impassive young man.

And suddenly all the pieces seemed to come together, a figurative light bulb went off in her head and she understood why she felt this way for him. Mori-senpai was the exact opposite of every other man she had ever known. He was different from Tamaki, her father, Kyoya, Kaoru, Hikaru and even Honey-kun.

He required nothing of her, demanded nothing of her but still offered her everything he had in return, which was a quiet support, _**stability**_. In all her life the only forms of stability she had ever found had been within herself and academics, never before had she witnessed and received it from another person. Mori-senpai never went out of his way to manipulate her feelings to his favor the way the other boys would. It was all of these distinguishing characteristics put together that made him such an incredible person and for the first time in her life, she felt like she _**needed**_ someone. She needed him but for what exactly she wasn't sure. Balance, perhaps? Still, that one thought alone alarmed her. Haruhi had always been able to get by on her own, she didn't exactly relish feeling this way, this dependence upon another. She'd never encountered such feelings during her relationship with Tamaki, probably because he never had been proficient in providing any sort of assistance. Instead, little by little, all of Mori-senpai's thoughtful gestures, combined with the colossal act of saving her life, had begun to shape her perception of him. One that was decidedly approving, she respected and appreciated him.

However, even considering all of his brilliant attributes, she felt so small and vulnerable in his presence. He never did or said anything intentionally to make her feel weak, it was just the fact that he was always there to protect her, she knew that he would always provide safe harbor for her, though she never asked it of him. It brought her attention to the fact that she wasn't impervious to harm and that she couldn't properly defend herself on her own. She couldn't allow herself to constantly rely on this man, he was already obligated to another, he was completely devoted to his cousin and best friend, Honey. He couldn't feasibly worry over both of them all the time and she didn't want him to.

That wasn't the only factor that displeased her. She was also unhappy with these new found feelings because the odds that her senpai would return and share them were not in her favor. She could remember all too well the handful of times she was present to see one of his fans admit their feelings for him, only to be denied, all without him ever opening his mouth. His silent rebuff, though unintentional, always seemed more scathing to her than an outright refusal would. Usually, she felt no sympathy for the covetous, greedy women who were shot down by the men she associated with because she knew it wasn't true love they were after. They wanted relationships with these men for strategic reasons, business relations. Their fathers had bred and raised them to be fine women with perfect etiquette and devious charm to better their own personal endeavors. To the rich, in some cases, she found children were accessories to be used, pawns. Kyoya-senpai and his siblings were a perfect example. So, more often than not she could feel little compassion for them but every once in a while, a genuine girl would present herself and in those moments her heart would ache for them. Mori-senpai denied their feelings but never provided any insight as to why and Haruhi knew if she were in the same position she would feel devastated.

She couldn't stop the frown that began to form on her face. Haruhi didn't expect this to happen, especially with Mori-senpai of all people. No one could have seen this coming. She didn't know what to do, she knew well enough by now that you couldn't stop these sorts of feelings, but even so she didn't want this to happen; she wasn't willing to let it happen. All she wanted to focus on was becoming a great lawyer, she desired nothing else. She did not have time for distractions.

Mori noticed the sour look that settled on Haruhi's face and he couldn't help but wonder what was wrong. He assumed it was probably her hand bothering her, the cut hadn't been deep but the gash was rather large, it stretched across the entire expanse of her palm.

Without asking he reached over to her and pried her hand gently off the tea cup she was grasping. Blood had just begun to seep through the bandages, creating delicate crimson blossoms.

"Does it hurt?" he inquired, wondering if he should redress the wound and fetch her some pain medication.

She shook her head back and forth vigorously, his brow furrowed. If it didn't hurt then what was wrong with her? It was rare that he wasn't able to pick up on the feelings of others, he was a master of body language and subtlety. He could sense there was something wrong with her. He could feel her discomfort from where he sat.

"No, I-I'm fine. I think I'm just a little on edge from the storm." She stammered, irritated that his hand upon hers was causing this reaction. It wasn't the first time he'd ever touched her, she was being foolish. She forced herself to control her breathing, hoping to quiet her pounding heart.

Mori didn't seem convinced, "I'll be right back." He told her as he removed himself from her table to travel down the hallway to her bathroom to grab her something for the pain, he thought he remembered seeing some aspirin in the cabinet earlier.

He opened the cabinet, his eyes scanning quickly over the various bottles and containers held within its confines. His gaze settled on one such bottle, he did not recognize the brand. Curiosity got the better of him as he grabbed the bottle, turning it over to read the purpose of use for it. The mystery contents of the bottle happened to be a medical cream used to diminish the appearance of scars. His mouth twisted into a frown at the sight, he'd never seen the aftermath of her attack but he had witnessed the wound, he was sure she had one striking scar on her side. Mori wondered if, every time she saw that scar, it triggered memories of that awful day and it pained him to think that was probably the case. She never displayed much distress about that event, outside of today's class where she'd clearly been uncomfortable with the lesson. He was impressed with how spiritually strong Haruhi was, she'd been through so many trials in her short life, what with the loss of her mother, the troubles she'd overcome during her time at Ouran and then her attack. Haruhi was still able to conduct herself with little difficulty, she truly was a remarkable woman.

Mori returned the bottle to its rightful place upon the shelf, he turned his attention to the reason he had ventured in here in the first place, he grasped the small container of aspirin from its place and shook two of the tiny pills into his palm.

Just as he exited the door, he heard the low rumble of thunder again and he instantly thought of Haruhi. He ran the rest of the way down the short hallway and burst back into the kitchen, fully expecting the girl to be hiding under the table but she was still seated at the table, seemingly having not moved an inch.

He approached the table quietly, not wishing to startle her, he placed a hand on her shoulder and he could feel the faint trembles that were running through her body. She brought her eyes up to his and he could tell she was frightened, he could plainly see the faint spark of discomfort there but she was doing her best to stay strong.

Mori assumed that some things about this young woman would always remain a mystery to him. How could she seem to be so unmoved by such traumatic events in her past but a simple act of nature could intimidate her so thoroughly? However, he knew that everyone had their fears, Haruhi's may not have been the most rational, but they were her own and he couldn't discredit them.

The young man debated on what to do, what he wanted to do was take her into his arms again and comfort her. His instincts were dictating him to do so but he didn't want to depreciate the valiant efforts she was making to overcome her fears. He placed the pills next to her teacup and returned to his place at the table across from her.

She gave him a small smile in response, a silent thank you for the medicine. She placed them in her mouth and brought her tea to her lips to help aid her swallowing them. Just as she finished swallowing, a peel of thunder shook the room causing her to jump, the contents of the teacup were disturbed and the hot liquid spilled down her front, soaking through the fabric of her sweatshirt.

"Ow!" she yelled as she jumped to her feet.

Before Haruhi could even think to inspect the damage, Mori had already made his way over to her and was on his knees in front of her, his hands peeled the drenched fabric from her skin, pulling it up to just below her breasts so it wouldn't cause any further damage. Her skin was already bright pink and steadily growing darker. He ran his cool fingers down the distressed flesh, evaluating the damage. The injury didn't seem too extensive. Even so, he was furious with himself. Once again, he'd ignored his instincts and now Haruhi was paying the price. His inadequacies were shameful, inexcusable. His fingertips continued on their course until he hit a patch of raised flesh on her side. His brow furrowed, he turned her just slightly and even in the dim light of the room he could see how red and angry the scar seemed to be, the reminder she would carry for the rest of her life of the day she nearly ceased to exist. Although, the scar wasn't very large it stood out so prominently against the pale complexion she possessed, as if the vicious hate that resided in the heart of the man that placed it there had transferred and in turn created a permanent residence upon her pristine skin. He felt white hot rage prickle the fine hairs on the back of his neck at the sight. He grimaced, it was awful, he knew it would be unsightly but this was worse than he imagined. That man had denied her the option to forget him, to push his memory to the darkest recesses of her mind. He provided her with a permanent souvenir.

It was a moment before Haruhi could recover from her shock, not only from the newest self-inflicted injury but from her friend's reaction to it. She suppressed a shiver as his cool fingers continued to run down the flat plain of her stomach, it actually felt nice against the sharp sting of the burn, but she was disconcerted. The way she was responding to his touch was in no way appropriate.

"Senpai?" she softly questioned, her voice nothing more than a breathy whisper, but she hoped to grab his attention and gain some control over herself.

Her voice brought his attention back to her and away from the bleak gloom that consumed him upon seeing her damaged body. Her face was a vibrant shade of red, one that currently exceeded that of her burn and he realized very quickly that she was blushing. It was another moment before he registered, to his chagrin, how incredibly intimate this seemed to be. Not only he had uncovered her without her permission, he had _**touched**_ her.

Mori was ashamed of his behavior but he hadn't meant to take advantage of her in any way. It was just his instincts reacting to her and often times those beat out his better, more rational judgment.

He released her from his grasp, his hands recoiling from her as fast as he could manage, her clothing falling softly back into place. He moved away from her, he rose to his full height once again and looked down upon her, his expression distraught and apologetic.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled, his hand that had touched her moved to rub the back of his neck, an unconscious attempt to rid himself of the pleasing, smooth feel of her skin beneath his calloused fingers. He'd never felt so low in all his life, this wasn't like him.

Haruhi was struck by how meek her friend seemed to be and for a moment she had to struggle to restrain a laugh. She wasn't sure if the reaction was due to her nervousness or his. He looked like he was preparing himself to take a severe beating and the absurdity of the situation was almost amusing.

"It's okay. I'm going to go change, I'll be right back." She said, taking this moment to excuse herself from the room and subsequently, his presence.

Mori watched her as she walked away, once she was out of view he buried his face in his hands. What had he been thinking? She probably thought he was some sort of closet pervert now. He groaned out loud, this was possibly the most embarrassing moment of his life and if one could die from such a thing, he knew he would be long gone by now.

He wallowed in self deprecation and ridicule for a moment more before coming to his senses, he decided to create an ice pack for her to use when she returned.

Haruhi peeled her sweatshirt off of herself and threw it into the laundry bin in her closet. She looked down at her stomach, the burn stung but it was not bad at all. A cold compress would remedy the situation easily and then it wouldn't even bother her. She couldn't believe how clumsy and graceless she was this afternoon, if she wasn't careful she might even end up breaking a bone. She'd tried to be steadfast and face her fears head on, especially after her inner musings about her senpai, but it seemed that caused more damage than if she had just retreated to her closet again. She sighed in defeat, it seemed it was easier said than done to overcome fear.

As she dug through her dresser drawer in search of a dry sweatshirt, she caught sight of herself in the mirror that hung on her wall. She stopped and stared at the scar that ran along her side, she brought her fingers up to trace the line, the path that the blade had travelled as it shredded her skin.

'_He saw it.'_ She thought to herself and for some reason she felt ashamed by that knowledge. Aside from the doctors that operated on her, no one had laid eyes upon the injury after it had been stitched up, not even her father. She'd tried every medical cream on the market to help reduce the size and redness of the scar but nothing worked, not even the prescription her dermatologist had prescribed her. It seemed there was nothing she could do to erase this unwanted memento but she had kept it hidden from everyone, it was her burden to bear. It was her fault she received it, after all, if she had been more attentive as she should have been it would never have occurred. She didn't want anyone's sympathy, let alone Mori-senpai's because she knew it would only fuel his odd commitment to ensure her safety and she didn't want that. She wouldn't allow herself to become accustomed to his security, she didn't want to rely on him, she wanted to be strong in her own right.

'_Did he find it unattractive?'_ she wondered, _'Does he think it's hideous?'_

Haruhi shook her head, banishing her melancholy thoughts. There was nothing she could gain by dwelling in the past, the scar was now a part of her. A harsh lesson indeed, but one that she'd needed to learn. She finally decided on wearing one of the sweatshirts she favored more than the others, even though it was one that was previously owned by Tamaki. She pulled it down over herself, effectively covering herself from her own scrutiny.

She took a steadying breath as she braced herself to face her senpai again, she didn't think he'd touched her for any unsavory reasons, rather he didn't want the heat of the liquid to cause any further injury. He wasn't that sort of person to act in that manner, he wasn't calculated enough for nefarious acts and if he ever really wanted to take advantage of her, he'd had countless opportunities over the past few months to do so while he taught her throws in judo but he'd always been a gentleman and conducted himself with utmost decorum. As soon as he was finished his instruction, he would release her immediately, his hands never once lingered upon her. And yet, even though she knew this to be truth, she still wished he hadn't touched her because she was so dissatisfied with how she reacted to him. Haruhi had felt almost… stimulated by his fingers caressing her skin and it frightened her, he was trying to assess the damage she'd done to herself, nothing more. A fresh wave of shame swept over her. She felt as if her relationship with him was shaping and distorting into something she wasn't ready to accept and it was most certainly one sided.

She returned to her kitchen just as Mori was tying off the dishtowel that held about a dozen ice cubes, he hoped it would help to alleviate not only her pain, but also the unintentional tense atmosphere that his concern had caused.

Haruhi cleared her throat and Mori turned to face her, his cheeks began to burn, a clear beacon of his humiliation. He held out the improvised ice pack to her, wordlessly. He was sure he wouldn't be able to speak now even if he tried.

The young woman took the offered package but didn't use it. The pain was already subsiding, it wasn't serious and she didn't want to reveal her disfiguring scar to him again.

"Thank you, senpai." She said, before adding, " but next time let me handle that."

He inclined his head but did nothing more. He was planted to the floor where he stood, he didn't want her to think he was planning any further assault on her.

"Haruhi, I didn't mean to… I just…" he tried to relay his absolute disgust of his actions to her but he kept tripping over his words. How did one apologize for such a thing?

She smiled awkwardly, "I know, you don't have to worry about me. I can take of myself."

Mori knew she _**could**_ take care of herself but he didn't want her to have to. He wished she could just come to terms with the fact that she could rely on him, that doing so didn't make her weak. He knew the importance of having those around you that you could depend on, there was no shame in that. Though most people thought of life as a solitary venture he knew it was much more of a team effort, every person you came in contact with had a part in shaping who you became, for better or for worse. Mori wanted to be a positive factor in her life, he wanted her to view him as a confidant. He wondered if she truly understood the importance of putting her trust in her friends, she was so independent. He got the feeling she was internally beating herself up for something she had yet to gain control over. It was impossible to defeat lifelong fears in a single afternoon.

"Haruhi" he began, his voice low and soothing "it's okay to be afraid and… when you find yourself scared or upset you can always come to me." He voiced his intentions this time, rather than mindlessly acting upon them.

The young woman sucked in a breath at his words because that was the exact opposite of what she wanted to do. Why did he have to be so reliable? Why was he so attentive to her? He'd already saved her life, what more could he hope to do for her?

She felt guilty for being so agitated by this development, he wasn't doing anything wrong but this wasn't aiding her resolve to quell her rapidly increasing impression of him.

"Why do you have to be like this?" she whispered to herself. She wished he was selfish and removed the way the other boys were but he was so grounded, so down to earth.

Mori raised an eyebrow at her unexpected question. However, he did not reply, he wasn't sure what she was referring to and he wasn't positive that she'd intended him to hear it.

Haruhi could plainly see the confusion etched on his face and it only proved to fuel her anger. Was he really so oblivious? Did he honestly not recognize the selfless deeds he did on her behalf?

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, gesturing with her arms in his direction. "Why are you being so protective of me still?" she finished, she had to know. It had made sense when he was still extra vigilant of her after her run in with Yosuke but now it didn't seem nearly as necessary and yet here he was, still being that silent pillar of strength she'd never asked him to be.

His face fell at her question as his heartbeat picked up its pace. He couldn't tell her why he was like this, this was how he had always been with people he cared about and he did care for Haruhi. He couldn't admit to her why he was so much more protective now than in the past as he had yet to even admit that to himself.

Mori went with his usual, non committal response he used in situations that made him uncomfortable, he shrugged, his face still impassive, carved from stone.

Haruhi visibly deflated, that was not the answer she was hoping for. In truth, she didn't know what she expected, it wasn't like he was going to express his love to her, that was an impossible scenario and one she did not welcome. That would only prove to complicate things but if he could just provide her with some explanation, it would help. If it was nothing more than concern for a friend maybe she would be able to push her rapidly growing feelings for him to the side, she would be able to reason with herself that her feelings were foolish because he would never reciprocate.

She sighed in exasperation, it was clear she wasn't going to get anywhere with him, she wouldn't receive any tangible reply. Dejected by his lack of response, she moved to the sink depositing his makeshift cold compress and she turned to leave the room, conversation with him wouldn't be possible so she intended to grab a book and sit on her couch to read until Honey woke up. Mori-senpai could join her if he so desired, though she didn't particularly care either way.

Haruhi halted her exit as she felt his large hand grasp her forearm gently, she turned back around to face him and though she hadn't meant to, she glared at him. In the next moment she found herself in the protective barrier of his strong arms, for a moment she panicked but then he spoke.

"I don't know." He murmured, answering her previous questions. "I can't… let bad things happen to you."

Haruhi pulled away from him and looked into his face. His composed visage never faltered, his expression gave away nothing but she could feel, very clearly, his heart hammering away in his chest. Her eyebrows pulled together in agitation and bewilderment. She understood, to an extent, what he was saying but it still wasn't a proper explanation. Why was his heart beating so fast?

Mori hadn't meant to clutch her to him in this way but her question forced him to confront why he acted and reacted so strongly in regards to her and it challenged his resolve. She seemed irritated and he was the source. When he truly pondered the inquiry the only conclusion he was able to come to was he desired her happiness, her safety, more than anything else. He was able to endure pain and suffering but not if it was hers. Knowing he could provide her strength and protection, knowing that he could shield her from hurt and misfortune, made him feel driven to do so. It was his duty as a Morinozuka to secure the safety of his companions.

So, a piece of the commitment he had for her was selfish. The thought of her being unhappy, upset or hurt was unbearable for him. Even if she did not wish for his aid, he would continue to supply it because he knew he could, because he wanted to. The warmth of her body in his arms was comforting, pleasant and though he knew he should let her go, he couldn't bring himself to do so.

Haruhi was a precious person to him.

Without his permission his hand moved to her face, he placed his open palm to the soft skin of her cheek, and slowly, tentatively, he swept his thumb across her bottom lip. He felt her mouth open beneath the digit, the cool caress of her breath as she gasped at his actions. Mori wasn't exactly sure what he was doing, he shouldn't be touching her, she had never welcomed this. All he seemed to be able to comprehend was he wanted to erase the anger and confusion he knew she felt, the agitation he knew he'd caused. He couldn't stand to see her this way… her brows knit together on her forehead, the turmoil swirling in her eyes. But what he really couldn't stand was that she was looking at _**him**_ this way but words failed him, there was nothing he could say to soothe her because he didn't know what to say, didn't know how to manipulate the things he felt into a phrase to tell her.

She didn't shy away from him like he expected her to, despite his earlier blunder, instead she seemed to lean into his touch, her eyes fluttered closed as he continued to stroke her delicate skin. Mori could feel Haruhi relax against him and her angry expression cleared, only to be replaced by complacency. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, he couldn't look away from her perfect lips, they were quite captivating. He wondered what type of kisser she was, and the thought made him shiver. He wanted to kiss her and he was struck by the intensity of this compulsion. It wasn't appropriate to be thinking of her in this way, she was his kohai, his student at the dojo, and his friend. He couldn't allow himself to kiss her just to satiate his own curiosity and yet he was unable to banish the thought now that it presented itself.

He wondered if she would consent if he were to try, if she would willingly receive him.

"Haruhi…" he murmured her name, his deep voice as smooth as warm honey and it seemed to seep into her soul. The way he spoke her name made her stomach twist in the most unfamiliar way and forced a gentle heat to swell within her body. She wanted to hear him say it again, she wanted him to continue touching her, she wanted more from him and she refused to brood over what that meant. Instead, she allowed herself the pleasure of receiving his attention. Her eyes fluttered open so she could gaze upon him fully, he was looking at her and the only way she could think to describe it was quiet awe.

Her chocolate brown eyes met his and he was glad, they were a window to her soul, they spoke volumes to him. She didn't seem disturbed or irritated by his touch and for that he was thankful. He wasn't trying to take advantage of her, he just couldn't stop himself and her acceptance of his attentions made him wonder if maybe, she might permit his action.

Slowly, he leaned down, years of his self control and discipline were crumbling before him, he was powerless to stop it, but the most frightening part was he didn't want to stop. Mori was well aware that this was wrong, that if he continued there would be severe repercussions to face and even knowing that he was still willing to take the chance. The prospect of being able to feel her enticing lips against his own, to sample the delicate flavor of her mouth, proved too strong of a temptation. His lips were just a breath away from hers, she was making no move to end his advancement.

Haruhi was going to let him kiss her.

"Haru-chan!"

The two who, just moments before, had been completely wrapped up in each other's embrace jumped away from each other at the voice of the other occupant of the apartment. Neither had even remembered he was there and that thought brought an intense wave of guilt to wash over the young man. Mori was Mitskuni's protector, how could he completely forget his presence?

Mori caught Haruhi's eye once more before turning to head to the living room to attend to his cousin, he didn't allow his attention to linger on the beautiful blush that tinged her cheeks or the hint of disappointment he detected in her eyes.

"Mitskuni..." He called out as he rounded the corner, his steel grey eyes meeting the golden brown eyes of the only one who had, until now, occupied a space in his thoughts.

"Takashi! I thought I heard you! I didn't think you would come visit us today." Honey said, rising from his makeshift bed on Haruhi's floor. He stretched his arms out above him, Usa-chan dangling from his hand. He was doing all he could to keep the burning curiosity out of his voice. Just what had he and Haruhi been doing while he was sleeping, he wondered?

Mori simply nodded in response, unable to recall why he'd brought himself here in the first place as he managed to create a far more pressing issue.

"Honey-kun, you're finally awake. Would you like some tea?"

Honey noticed the near imperceptible way that his cousin's shoulders tightened at the sound of Haruhi's voice. It seemed something rather interesting did happen while he was lost to the world in his sleep. He turned his gaze to the petite woman, instantly he regarded the wrap on her right hand.

"Haru-chan! Did you hurt yourself?"

In no time he was standing before her, her injured hand cradled carefully in his own small but strong hands.

"Yes, but it's okay now. I broke a teacup but Mori-senpai wrapped it for me, it doesn't hurt anymore."

He frowned, "I'm sorry, Haru-chan, I didn't even hear it."

Honey brought the injured appendage to his lips, pressing them gently to the back of her hand, an apology for not tending to her himself. He watched as Haruhi just blinked owlishly at him but he felt Takashi bristle from where he stood beside them.

His gesture of affection seemed to agitate his silent friend and that served as his answer, it seemed Takashi either just figured it out or he was becoming increasingly aware of his feelings for her. Well, perhaps a little jealousy would encourage him to tell her.

"Some tea would be wonderful, Haru-chan, but I think Takashi and I should return home before anyone starts to worry. It is rather late, after all."

Haruhi gasped as she looked at the digital display on her clock, it was nearly 8 o'clock at night now. How long had she been wrapped up in her own thoughts? How could she let time get away from her like that?

"I understand. Let me just wrap up the rest of the cake you brought over and I'll send that home with you" she said "Oh, and senpai, let me grab your clothes from the dryer." she finished, but didn't look in Mori's direction.

Mori nodded at her anyway, he'd completely forgotten that he wasn't fully clothed, he wondered what Mitskuni must be thinking. It certainly didn't look good that both he and Haruhi had been virtually alone together for quite some time and he was only half clothed. He resisted the urge to grimace, lest he give away his internal musings.

Haruhi moved through her chores mechanically, trying in vain to shake off the disquieting thoughts in her head. What just happened? She was positive that if they were to continue uninterrupted, Mori-senpai would have kissed her. That unfamiliar tightening low in her stomach returned, more forceful this time and she struggled to place the feeling.

What did that mean?

Why would he try to kiss her? She shivered, bringing herself back to the present place and time. She pushed the feeling to the back of her mind, along with the memory of his heat pressed against her, his sweet breath as it ghosted across her mouth…

She gave herself a hard mental slap, seriously, she had to get herself under control, this wasn't healthy … or maybe it was. She couldn't be too sure.

She met her friends at her front door, reaching out she handed both the cake and her senpai's clothes to him. Mori took his shirt in his hands, donning it quickly. Haruhi couldn't help but follow the fluid movements of his muscles before they were covered by the fabric.

"We'll see you at school on Monday, Haru-chan! Thanks for having me over for cake!" Honey squealed happily before bouncing up on his toes and giving her a chaste peck on the cheek.

Haruhi's hand moved to the place his soft lips had touched. She wondered what had gotten into Honey-kun today. He was having a hard time keeping his lips to himself, she would have to chastise him later for it but that hardly seemed fair considering what his best friend had almost done. She could feel another blush prickling the skin on her face and she struggled to keep it back.

"Okay, I'll see you then, Honey-kun. You too, Mori-senpai."

A slight incline of his head was the only answer she received from the sober man, though she swore she detected a hint of longing in his eyes.

When the door finally closed behind them Haruhi leaned against it, she slid down the cool wood until she sat on the ground, bringing her knees to her chest she laid her head against them.

She sighed heavily. Somehow, the unassuming, quiet man she'd just silently praised for bringing balance to her life had managed to thrust it into chaos once again, all without his knowledge. She shook her head.

This was a serious complication.

* * *

Yay! Finally some progress between these two! I don't know what it is with these Ouran kids, they're always so oblivious to how they feel. First I would like to say that I promise to stop causing bodily harm to Haruhi. I realize I've beaten her up quite a bit until now but I feel like without those situations Mori would have remained inactive in regards to Haruhi and his feelings would never develop. Trauma to her was what forced him to begin to contemplate her in the first place.

I'm really looking to create a slow, natural progression of a relationship with them which is why I tend to have them muse over each others features, attributes, etc. I really enjoy angst and tension, which is why I think I deny myself the satisfaction of conclusions (their almost kiss for example). At this point in the story I feel both parties are at least aware of their attractions, however, in the next chapter one character will come to a definitive conclusion regarding the other.

On that note, I must admit that this will be my last update until sometime in May. I'll be taking a brief hiatus so I can tend to several things in my personal life are coming to a head, all at once (moving into a new place, work, relationships,etc.) and I don't think I will be able to create quality writing within that time frame. I don't want to rush to complete a new chapter only to realize after I've posted it, that it's utter garbage. I want to put the time into editing and writing so that it continues to be a story that others enjoy so please stick with me until then! Don't lose your faith in me!

Please leave a review if you'd like, I would certainly appreciate it. For everyone who has reviewed, added me to their favorite stories/authors, added my story to their alerts and just plain read my story at all... THANK YOU! You make me so happy :)


	8. Chapter 8

I really had no intention of updating this fic until next week but the lure of publishing a chapter on Friday the 13th proved to be far too enticing for me, so here it is! The aftermath of Mori's impulses, Haruhi's mixed feelings and so many more surprises in this installment! Will a confession be made? Please read on to find out! I hope you all enjoy!

* * *

_**Chapter 8**_

_**Unforeseen Enlightenment**_

Monday morning finally came and with it came the sun, which had been absent from the sky for two days. The rain had continued to fall throughout the weekend, and for those two days Mori's thoughts had been absolutely consumed by Haruhi.

He feared for the rest of his life he would equate the sound and smell of rain with her, for had it not been for the rain, the thunderstorm on Friday afternoon, he may have never gotten so close to her. Close enough to touch her, to hold her, to feel her warmth closer to him than he ever dared to dream, almost close enough to feel her lips pressed against his own.

He bit down on the inside of his cheek, hard, in an effort to combat his disobedient mind. Mori desperately wanted to know where his usual disposition had gone. How he longed for the days where he was schooled enough with his emotions to remain detached, ignorant of anyone but Mitsukuni and immediate family. But those days were gone now, destroyed and demolished by Haruhi, not that he could blame her for it, she of course was unaware of the predicament she'd caused him.

When he returned to his home after the afternoon he'd spent with Haruhi, he changed his clothing, donning the dark yukata he wore around his house, then immediately retired to the meditation room. So many disarming thoughts and emotions were assaulting him that he needed time to sort them out. After everything that happened he needed time to reflect, to truly open his eyes and see Haruhi the way he suspected his heart saw her. After several intense hours of contemplation and soul searching he had found his answer, his month's long internal debate was over.

He was in love with Fujioka Haruhi.

Though he only very recently became fully aware of his true perception of her, he knew all along his subconscious was trying to alert him of this development. His acute awareness of her, the longing he felt when he was away from her, the fierce desire to protect her, everything made sense now because he was able to admit to himself that he loved her. Very much.

This love, though altogether different from what he held for Mitsukuni, far surpassed the love he had for his cousin in intensity and that frightened him. Never before had any being demanded his attention in the same way that Haruhi did and it was to no fault of her own and yet it was still incredibly unnerving. That was just simply how much he did love her, a testament to how important she truly was to him.

He wondered if he was really as ignorant and oblivious as Tamaki and Hikaru had been, how embarrassing, especially considering he had chastised Hikaru for being that way. He'd called them "peas in a pod". Well now they needed to move over because they had one more to accommodate in that pod.

He was slightly ashamed of himself for not realizing this sooner. Never before had he doubted himself but when it came to the feelings he harbored for her, he was unable to come to terms with them. He wondered if that was a defense mechanism, that if he remained ignorant of others he would always be able to stay by Mitsukuni's side, which until now was the only thing he desired to do. He would always be allowed to serve his purpose, his duty in this world, but all that changed the moment he held that girl in his arms. The way she leaned into his touch, the feel of her soft skin against his heavily calloused palm, her perfect pink lips and those beautiful brown eyes, the fact that he noticed all of these things served as irrefutable proof that he regarded her as more than a friend, much more. When she stood there, so ready to accept his advances, so willing to give herself to him, only then was he able to obtain enlightenment, as if he were in the presence of Kami himself.

This particular morning he opted out of having his driver bring him to the University, he did not mind the long walk to campus and he was hoping the early spring air might be able to cleanse him of some of the confusion he felt, the uncertainty. His recent revelation did not bring with it the relief that was usual with others. Instead, a heavy burden seemed to settle itself uncomfortably upon his shoulders, threatening to bring him to his knees.

How would she react to him now? After he acted so recklessly, forced his feelings upon her when, at the time he had not even been clear about them himself. But then again she had asked him why he was so protective of her, why he bothered to care for her. Could it be he was trying to express through action what he could not seem to voice? It seemed plausible and yet still so inadequate as an explanation. How could he expect her to truly understand if he did not tell her? He could not, and even knowing that he could not imagine ever revealing that information to her. Even if he were the type of person to have a tendency to indulge in fantasies, which he was not, he could never imagine a world where that woman would share his feelings. Haruhi was more suited for men like Tamaki and Hikaru. Haruhi deserved a man who was charismatic, one who would hold her attention, amuse her and shower her with words of affection. Mori knew he was not that man, he was incapable of being that man. He could not pursue women the way the others seemed to be able to, he was far too reserved for such things. He could provide no words of flattery, no grand gestures of affection, or flamboyant passion. He felt Haruhi would grow bored with him, disenchanted by his inability to provide any sort of tangible conversation, he would never be able to hold her attention. Indeed, a more animated partner seemed appropriate for her.

Mitsukuni was uncharacteristically absent from his company this morning, it was just as well though. For some reason, Mori was feeling rather cross with his best friend. This was hard for him to admit but he was jealous, angry because Mitsukuni was able to act so companionable with Haruhi, effortlessly. He didn't have any difficulty with casually touching her, or kissing her hand, her cheek. Mitsukuni was outgoing and extroverted, the perfect type of man to suit Haruhi. Mori felt his ire begin to rise, quickly he quashed the feeling. He knew, deep in his heart, Mitsukuni didn't mean any harm by his gestures. His small friend was always doing cute things like that, it was not new behavior, he was just more aware of it now that he realized his feelings towards Haruhi.

_'Mitsukuni does not love Haruhi, not the way I do...'_he continued reminding himself, over and over as the weekend drew to a close.

Or did he?

Mori couldn't be sure, though he assumed his friend would have confided in him by now if he did hold feelings of that nature for Haruhi. He wondered if he should tell his friend how he felt about her, how would he react? A fresh wave of distress washed over the tall youth. Would Mitsukuni be disappointed in him because he allowed another to steal his affection from him? Would he be angry?

Mori knew if Mitsukuni did not approve of the feelings he held for Haruhi, he would discard them in an instant. He would do anything that his best friend asked of him, even if it was something he did not wish to do.

He shook his head back and forth, unhappy with the dismal thoughts he was entertaining. The scent of espresso drifted to him before he even saw the sign for the coffee shop just up ahead, bringing him out of his mental slump, if only for a moment. He thought he deserved a little caffeine to help him get through his day. At the current rate his mind was racing he was sure that by midday he would be utterly exhausted.

As he entered the small shop, a bell rang above his head, alerting the baristas at the counter of a customer's arrival. He appraised the place quietly. Several tables littered the expanse of the area with white tablecloths on them, bouquets of flowers of all colors adorned the table tops. The space was fresh, bright and it seemed to alleviate some of the heaviness that burdened his mood just a bit.

He received a cheery welcome from the young lady at the counter, she was young, maybe seventeen or so. Her blonde hair hung in a long braid down her back, her eyes were a light brown, a grand smile was settled on her face. He could tell she was putting more emphasis into this welcome than she might for other people, he wondered if it hurt faking a smile as wide as this one. Haruhi would never do that. Her smiles were always sincere, natural, just the slightest upturn of her lips. She didn't have to put thought behind the expression so they always looked beautiful and honest.

He cleared his throat before ordering, it was unfair to pass judgment on this young lady, she was just doing her job. The young woman bounced to complete his order happily, as if this were the highlight of her day. He succeeded in not giving into the urge of rolling his eyes at her efforts, satisfied that he was still disciplined enough not to give into _**every**_ impulse he had. Mori was not a stupid man, even if he showed no emotion it was easy to read this girl's intentions. She found him attractive, but more than that, she found his _**wealth**_attractive. Though he did not flaunt his family's good fortune as readily as some of his friends and classmates did, to the trained eye you could tell. The wrist watch he wore, though rather plain, was expensive, and his clothing, though not flashy or extravagant, was of fine quality. He wondered if she had chosen to work at this establishment due to its proximity to Ouran University. Everyone knew only the wealthiest young people attended that University.

Mori sighed, the little shop that seemed so quaint and inviting when he first entered seemed artificial now, he was eager to take his leave.

He heard the bell ring, announcing the arrival of another customer but he didn't bother turning around as the barista was returning with his coffee, black with two sugars. He was not overly fond of sweet things but even he could not stand the straight bitter flavor of un-sweetened coffee.

"Mori-senpai?"

His eyes widened and his heart picked up its pace as the sound of her voice floated to his ears. He turned to face her, ignoring the barista to give his full attention to the girl.

"Haruhi..."

He couldn't suppress the smile that lifted the corners of his mouth. She was wearing a dress today, a deep green with short sleeves, she wore black leggings beneath it and a pair of plain black flats. She wore barrettes of the same green color in her hair that she kept down, falling softly about her slender shoulders. He wanted to ask if her father had chosen the outfit for her but they didn't live together anymore which meant she'd chosen to wear this ensemble of her own volition, he found this knowledge to be delightful.

"Do you come here often? I don't think I've ever seen you here before." she asked, giving him a small smile in return.

"Here you are sir!" a chipper voice cut through his thoughts, halting any response he may have had for her. He turned in the direction of its owner.

"Oh, thank you."

The girl at the counter reluctantly turned her attention to Haruhi, her smile much tighter and smaller as she addressed the new customer. "And how can I help you today?" she asked, her tone condescending.

Mori bristled at the very different tone that she addressed Haruhi with. Just who did she think she was talking to? It certainly wasn't very prudent to treat customers in this sort of manner.

Haruhi was unfazed, "I'll have a medium chai tea please."

"I'll get right on that."

Haruhi returned her attention to Mori, "Now, like I was asking. Do you come here often?"

He shook his head. "No, this is the first time I've ever been to this shop. I decided to walk to campus today, this was on the way." He informed her, now he was happy he had stopped here. He was able to see Haruhi, he had been dreading this moment all weekend, but she seemed the same as usual. Maybe he hadn't ruined everything with her.

"That's nice. I enjoy walking to the campus, especially this time of year. The cherry blossoms should be opening up soon." She said, as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and in doing so she stirred the air around her, sending the delicate scent of cherry blossoms that she herself held to his nose.

He breathed deeply, inhaling her scent, taking comfort being in her company. He was very thankful that they were still able to interact naturally. "Aa." he replied.

"Here you go miss." as her tea was unceremoniously dropped onto the counter top. She didn't even bother trying to hand it to Haruhi.

Before Haruhi could bring the money out of her purse, Mori paid for the girls drink.

Haruhi could feel her cheeks begin to burn, for some reason the gesture reminded her of how easily this might be construed as a date. She viciously ignored the part of her that wished it were true. "Ah, Mori-senpai... y-you don't have to do that!"

He refused to take no for an answer, when the barista presented him with his change she was much less friendly to him than when he first entered the shop and he was reminded of just how ugly some emotions could be. Jealousy was hideous and he was ashamed of himself for being jealous of Mitsukuni.

Mori held the cup out for her to take, her fingers brushed against his for a moment and the contact brought a quiet sigh from his lips.

_'I really hope she didn't hear that.'_

If she had indeed heard she paid no mind, she didn't question him about it, and before turning to leave Haruhi dropped a few coins into the tip jar on the counter. She figured it was the least she could do considering he had purchased her drink for her.

As they stepped out into the brilliant sunlight of the morning, Haruhi stretched, reaching her arms high into the air.

"What a beautiful day! I can't wait until it's a little warmer again. I want to be able to keep the windows open in my apartment. Winter always makes it feel so stuffy." She brought her drink to her lips to take a sip.

Mori moved to do the same, effectively hiding his brilliant smile as he watched his companion. He would be eternally grateful that she was still here to be with him, that he could still see her smile and laugh, to enjoy the life she so deserved.

"Senpai, would it be alright if I walked to school with you?" She asked, feeling slightly flustered. Here she was asking to walk to school with him when just months previous she had become angry with him for doing so. Just the other day she had been upset with her dependence upon him but here she was asking him to accompany her. She was feeling so very conflicted, especially considering their almost kiss. The incident only proved to confuse her feelings towards him further. She still wasn't sure what to make of it but she refused to allow that event to affect the way she handled herself around him. She would continue to dictate herself with this man the way she always had.

This time, he let her see him smile. Of course he would, like he was going to let her walk on her own now, or any other time from this moment on if he could help it. He would have to speak with Mitsukuni soon, for he knew he found the one he truly wanted to keep by his side. He knew that he would not always be so lucky to stay with her. If, one day, she decided to spend her time with another he felt he would be able to respectfully bow out of her life but for now, as long as she would have him, he was content to be with her.

"Aa. Let's go."

* * *

The two friends walked through the wrought iron gates of the University, there had been little to no conversation on the way but neither seemed to mind. It was the company they enjoyed, not the conversation.

Along their journey Haruhi couldn't seem to keep her mind off of the man walking next to her. His proximity seemed to have an almost intoxicating effect on her mood, she felt inexplicably happy and giddy. She did not necessarily like feeling that way but it seemed inescapable when he was near. She wondered if her presence caused a similar reaction with him, though she highly doubted that. Mori-senpai was unaffected by nearly everything, people in particular never seemed to hold his attention. The only person who was able to evoke any sort of emotion from him was Honey-kun. Had he even thought of their encounter? She wanted to know, she wanted to know why he had even attempted to kiss her. Her heart clenched in her chest, she did her best to ignore it and the pain it caused. Part of her desperately wanted to know and the more rational part of her knew the answer would only serve to break her heart… but still, she had a right to know and her curiosity was reaching a fevered pitch.

"Mori-senpai?" she questioned softly.

The tall man started, her voice cut through their companionable silence. Though her voice was not unnecessarily loud or unpleasant it had caught him unaware. He found himself extremely at ease in this small woman's presence because she never expected anything from him. She never pressed for mindless chatter, instead she seemed content to just walk silently next to him. However, that comfort he had with her often left him somewhat vulnerable, as it had in this case.

"Hn?" came the seemingly distracted reply.

The girl cleared her throat, not at all encouraged by his reply. She had been planning to ask him about Friday afternoon but now she wasn't sure she would be able to form the question.

"Mori-senpai…" she began, and then faltered. Mustering up her courage she tried again. "I have to ask you something and please, answer honestly."

Haruhi was unsure of why she added the part about him answering honestly. Mori-senpai, as far as she knew, never lied. He wasn't equipped to be deceitful, lies went against the most basic principles of all of the teachings he had studied under for his entire life.

Mori's pace slowed considerably, though he did not stop walking towards the University. He did not want it to seem like he was trying to run from this situation. He was fairly certain he knew what she was going to ask and though he would not lie to her, he did not know if he could bring himself to reveal the entire truth to her.

To tell her that he loved her.

"What is it, Haruhi?" he asked, encouraging her to continue without making eye contact. He wasn't ready for this, he wasn't sure he would ever be ready for this moment. He knew, if she asked him directly, that he could admit why he tried to kiss her. He would be able to tell her that he cared for her and that he was curious but he could not tell her that he was in love with her, he could not bear the crushing defeat that would accompany her dismissal of him.

Haruhi was about to speak but as they reached the main courtyard they were accosted by several members of the kendo club, all vying for Mori's attention. Haruhi could see this was a matter he needed to take care of immediately so she swallowed her disappointment and bid him goodbye, letting him know she would see him this afternoon for judo. He nodded to her before giving his full attention to his students again.

Haruhi tapped her pen on her notebook absently as she looked out the window. It wasn't usual for her to get lost in her own thoughts but today it seemed she was unable to escape the labyrinth of her subconscious. The professor had to call her name three times before she even heard him, scolding her for causing a disruption. She stood and bowed respectfully, making a concerted effort to pay full attention for the rest of the lecture. She kept thinking about Mori-senpai. She recalled the smile he shared with her this morning, she felt her heartbeat pick up its pace. She wondered what the kendo club needed to tell him. Though she was upset that she had been thwarted in asking his motivation for his previous actions she hoped it was good news, he put so much time and effort into training the members of the club, and it would be nice if he gained some fruits for his labor.

After what seemed like the longest day in history Haruhi was finally on her way to the locker room to get ready to head to judo. She was anxious to see what could possibly be going on with the kendo club, she dressed quickly, before sprinting toward the training hall.

Haruhi quickly caught sight of Honey and took her place beside him.

"Haru-chan! Haru-chan! Did you hear?" He asked, so excited that his words were coming out jumbled and rushed.

"No, I didn't. What's going on?"

Their conversation, however, was cut short as Katsu burst into the room, his presence caused all of the students to quiet down in anticipation.

"Well, everyone if you haven't heard the good news already our school's kendo club has been chosen to compete in the national championship this year." he said, his voice loud and booming in the silence of the room.

Cheers and hollers rose from the entire classroom, even Haruhi let her voice ring out, a strange sense of pride swelling in her chest. The club made it that far because of Mori-senpai's guidance, his diligence, his persistence and she was happy that he would gain the recognition he so rightfully deserved. Last year the team had fallen just short of glory, losing in the very last match but she felt as though he were putting extra effort into the team this year. She felt they could absolute achieve victory.

He brought his hand up, signaling for the class to quiet down. "Yes, it's a huge accomplishment and I'm sure Mori-senpai will bring us home the title of national champions." he continued, "the entire team will be leaving this evening, they received little notice, the team wasn't originally selected to participate but one of the other teams was forced to drop out and Ouran was chosen to take its place. They will all head to Tokyo where they will spend the remainder of this week vigorously training until the competition begins on Saturday, we should all be extremely proud that Ouran has the honor of attending and I know that they will take this opportunity very seriously."

"Won't you be going with them, Katsu-sensei?" one of the students spoke up and asked. Rightfully so because next to Mori he was the second best on the entire team.

Katsu shook his head, disappointment clearly etched onto his features. "No, I recently received an injury that will keep me from joining my compatriots at the tournament, however, Mori-senpai has entrusted me with the duty to continue the judo club in his absence and I take that responsibility very seriously, so while he is gone we will be working as hard as possible here so that when it's time for the judo competitions, we can bring home the gold."

Honey's eyes narrowed dangerously as Katsu spoke. He found it very difficult to believe that Takashi would leave the fate of the judo club in Katsu's hands instead of his own while the kendo club was gone. Sure, he was the assistant master of the dojo, however, everyone knew that Honey was far more capable of instructing the class and Takashi trusted him. That, and Honey was not aware of any injury that Katsu was speaking of, nor had Takashi informed him of such a thing. Katsu seemed to be just fine, Honey could not see any wraps indicating an injury and the way he carried himself didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary so he doubted he had strained any muscles. Besides, Katsu was the best member of the kendo club, if they had any chance at all of winning they needed him.

Honey also wondered why Takashi didn't just put the club on hiatus for a week, several members of the judo club belonged to the kendo club as well which meant nearly half the class would be gone for the competition. There truly was no reason for them to practice in his absence.

The entire situation seemed bizarre and he couldn't help shake the unease he felt. He needed to speak with Takashi as soon as possible.

Katsu once again claimed the attention of the class as he spoke "So, with that, let's get started. We have a lot of work to do."

* * *

Honey didn't really want to leave Haruhi alone right now but he had to find Takashi. He needed to know why he trusted this man to care for the club while he was gone, and not himself. Honey almost felt slighted by this recent turn of events, did Takashi not trust him?

As soon as he left class he tried to call his cousin but it went straight to the recording that instructed him to leave a message. He cracked his knuckles absently as his driver pulled up to the Morinozuka compound, an odd sense of foreboding crept into his bones. He didn't even wait for the car to stop as it pulled in front of the home at the end of the long driveway, he jumped out and rushed to the front door, knocking a little more forcefully than he meant to.

Honey waited impatiently for the door to be answered, he didn't care who answered the door he just needed to see Takashi.

"Ah, Mitskuni-kun, what brings you here right now?" Mori's mother asked, her forehead creased in confusion at the sight of her nephew. "Shouldn't you be in class?"

Honey never truly expected his aunt to answer the door, the members of the family rarely ever did such menial tasks, outside of Takashi of course. Takashi had never been influenced by his family's wealth or the social normalcy's that came with it. He just dictated himself in the way that felt most natural.

"Forgive me, Auntie, but is Takashi home? I wanted to speak with him before he left." he rushed, his small chest rising and falling from the exertion of running to the door.

She quirked an eyebrow at her nephew, "I'm sorry Mitskuni-kun but he's already left. Did he not tell you? They received such short notice, the school sent the coaches straight to Tokyo ahead of the rest of the team. Takashi called me from his cell and told me to have his bags sent after him. I'm having the maids prepare his belongings right now."

Honey suppressed the shiver he felt welling up inside of him. For the first time in his life that he could ever remember, he needed Takashi and he was nowhere to be found. This did not bode well.

"No, he didn't tell me but that's okay. I tried calling him on the way over but he must not have service where he is. I'll try again later this evening."

The stately looking woman smiled at her adorable nephew though the expression was tinged with just a touch of sadness. She could tell that he was distressed without his best friend and cousin. She could not fault him for that, the two had been inseparable since the day they met. Now they spent a little bit of time apart from each other but it was never for very long, so a week to him must seem like an eternity. She could not stand to see her favorite nephew looking so glum.

"Since you're here would you like to come in for a snack? I believe the chef just prepared a lovely chocolate cake, Satoshi is in the kitchen drooling over it right now." She giggled quietly behind her hand, amused by her youngest son's antics.

"No, thank you Auntie. Have a good evening."

With that, for the first time in history, the sugar addicted young man walked away from sweets, too distressed by recent events to eat. He turned slowly away from the door and walked dejectedly in the direction of his waiting car.

* * *

Haruhi was put out, to say the least. Honey had run out of class without so much as a goodbye and Mori-senpai was already on his way to Tokyo, she wouldn't be able to see him for another week which meant she wouldn't have another chance to confront him about their afternoon. She was now extremely glad that she had run into him at the coffee shop this morning.

She sat against the wall and watched as her classmates worked through their positions. She wished Honey were here to teach her something useful, she needed to take her mind off of her senpai. If she wasn't going to actually do anything today she would rather just go home. She had laundry to do and a midterm exam coming up in her law class that she could study for.

Raising her head she watched as the assistant instructor, Katsu, strode towards her. Haruhi wasn't exactly intimidated by this man but the way he carried himself made it seem like he moved with extreme purpose, and because she was unfamiliar with him it made her a little uneasy. She assumed many people felt that way about Mori-senpai but she knew better. She knew the man he truly was, he was kind and quiet, gentle yet firm when teaching. He was a flawless combination of so many things that made him unique.

The young man had hair that was almost a strawberry blonde color, reddish gold that was actually quite stunning. His bangs hung in his face but not enough to obscure his vision, the top was spiked in several different places while the back was straight. She often wondered if that shade was natural or if he dyed his hair the way that Hikaru and Kaoru did. If it was natural, was he of mixed decent like Tamaki? There was no real way for her to know unless she asked but she certainly didn't know him well enough to do so. His eyes were a soft brown, very similar to the ones that her small friend Honey held but his did not hold the childish innocence that the other mans did.

As he came to a stop in front of her, he crouched down bringing himself down to her level. "Fujioka, now I know Mori-senpai was working with you on specific defensive skills. He didn't leave me any special instructions on how to handle your particular situation. Could you give me a little background on what he was currently teaching you? It will give me a clearer idea of what we should work on together." He spoke, a disarming smile gracing his face. The expression softened the glint he always seemed to have in his eyes as well.

She could not recall any time before that she saw this man smile but it brought a sense of comfort to Haruhi, suddenly he didn't seem so frightening. He always seemed so disciplined and severe but she never had any extended interaction with this particular man, but if Mori-senpai trusted him to be the assistant instructor, than she should trust him too. Mori-senpai was an incredible judge of character, after all.

"Well... last time we were together he was trying to teach me how to disarm an attacker who had a weapon but... I did so poorly..." Her tone was dejected, embarrassed. "He also tried teaching me a few throws but that didn't work out so well either."

_'Damn, she's so cute...'_he thought to himself, he had to bite back a cheeky grin before it showed on his face.

"Come on now, Fujioka, don't be so down on yourself. Tell you what, you work with me while Mori-senpai is gone, and I mean we'll work really hard, and when he gets back we can show him everything you've learned and how much you've improved. Deal?"

There was something in that lopsided grin of his that was rather attractive, she thought absent mindedly. It would be rude for her not to accept his offer, wouldn't it?

"That sounds good, thank you Katsu-sensei."

"Now, now Fujioka, no need for all that. Just call me Katsu, ne?"

She raised her eyebrows at his request, she didn't exactly feel it was appropriate but she didn't want to offend him, especially if he was willing to take the time to work with someone as clumsy as she.

"Okay, Katsu." She said, experimenting as she let his name roll off her tongue and it almost felt natural. "What will you be teaching me today?"

* * *

_'Finally…'_the young woman thought as she turned the key, opening the door to her apartment.

Haruhi practically fell through the open door, exhausted, she felt completely boneless, her legs ached and her arms hung limply at her sides, useless.

She let her gym bag slide down her arm, landing on the floor in the foyer, she didn't bother unpacking it today, she didn't have the energy. She shuffled through the house, she turned on no lights, unable to maneuver her arms to flick any of the switches. She was making her way to the bathroom so she could shower.

_'Yes. A shower and then to bed.'_

Haruhi didn't even have it in her to try and attempt cooking something for dinner so she would just go without tonight.

Katsu worked her to the bone today but she had to say she was rather pleased with herself. For the first time since she started these self defense classes she felt like she was learning, absorbing. Unlike Mori-senpai, Katsu used his words to correct her stance, to push her harder than she would have dared to try before. She suspected that Mori-senpai was wary of working her too hard, not sure what she could actually handle. Though he was always very firm while teaching, she felt he was too conscious of her to truly push her as far as he should. He would not allow himself to push her to the very limits because he was unable to. She always got the impression that he was afraid of hurting her, which she thought was absurd. He was the last person to let any harm come her way.

However, Katsu's tough approach on her had paid off. She actually disarmed him today! The look of pure disbelief on his face was exhilarating when she managed to remove the weapon from his hand and throw it across the room.

The man had smiled, seemingly pleased with this development. Katsu said, "That was great Fujioka! I'm really impressed, I didn't think you would be able to defend yourself against me on the first day."

Her chest swelled with pride again at the memory. She couldn't wait for tomorrow's class, for the next few days she was going to challenge herself, to learn everything she could before Mori-senpai came back, so she could prove to him that she wasn't weak or frail. She wanted to show him that she could be strong and take care of herself, she didn't want him to continue worrying about her.

As she readied herself for bed, she wondered where he could be now. Had he arrived in Tokyo yet? Was he excited to be there?

She laughed outright at that, she couldn't imagine he ever got excited about _**anything**_.

* * *

Mori looked out the window of the hotel room he was to stay in for the next week, night had fallen long ago and he watched as numerous cars sped down the street, the headlights reflecting off windows, illuminating the room briefly before it was once again enveloped in darkness.

He tried to retire hours earlier, to get some rest because he knew he would need it but sleep refused to touch him. He ran a large hand through the hair on his head. The young man felt anxious, he had been unable to reach Mitsukuni on his cell when he called earlier, which was strange. He'd wanted to see if he could care for his judo class while he was away and to watch over Haruhi. His smaller cousin always answered when he called, Mori wasn't one to call anyone, speaking didn't usually agree with him so Mitsukuni knew that when he did call, it was important.

He'd never missed any of his calls before.

Mori wished he knew how Haruhi was, he felt awful because he had no time to say goodbye to her before he was to leave. He could not stop himself from thinking about what could have happened if she had been able to ask him what she had intended to today. Would he have told her everything? Would his virtues have been shaken so badly that he reverted to lying to her? He could not say for sure but he hoped he was man enough to face this issue head on but he found this situation far more intimidating than any opponent he had ever met in a kendo or judo match.

He imagined she wasn't too worried about it though, she wouldn't miss him while he was gone, but he would certainly miss her. If she wanted to know the truth behind his motivations, she would ask again and he knew eventually he would need to answer.

He moved to sit on the edge of his bed, he grabbed the remote for the television and began absently scrolling through the limited channels. After running through the stations at least three times he settled on the weather channel. Clear skies and sunshine for the next five days, perfect weather for the cherry blossoms to begin blooming.

Hopefully, he would be home in time to see them open with Haruhi.

* * *

Why, oh why did I decide to separate these two just when their relationship was beginning to bud? Well, I _**did **_label my story Romance/Angst didn't I? And don't they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder? We shall see, but do not worry, I have big plans for Mori and Haruhi.

I have already begun work on the next chapter. In that, we will see the return of two of the former host club members, one of which Haruhi is decidedly not too happy to see but she will have to face her past head on in order to make way for the future, even though she does not know what that will hold. I am very pleased with the shape that the next chapter is taking so hopefully I can really kick it into high gear and get that posted sometime before the end of the month. Please leave me a review and let me know what you think. I feel like I'm going through withdrawal because I have not posted in so long.

Your reviews make all the difference, they will help to motivate me and also will help to influence the structure of my fic. Your opinion counts! Thank you all for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

I'm back with a really long chapter! I apologize for the wait, my little sister graduated from high school over the holiday weekend so I was busy with all sorts of familial obligations. This chapter I actually began drafting way back when I was writing the third chapter. I had already intended to have a little angst between Haruhi and another host club member but when one of my reviewers suggested it as well I knew it was the right thing to do and I immediately began work on this chapter. I find myself taking longer and longer to edit my chapters before I post them because I do not want to make any errors. Though this chapter does not focus too heavily on the growing relationship between Mori and Haruhi it was necessary and I think it adds a little depth. You decide!

* * *

_**Chapter 9**_

**_Resolution_**

Haruhi awoke early the next morning, earlier than she normally would have due to the obnoxious ring tone emitting from her phone. She fumbled in her half dazed state until she found the offending electronic, she flipped it open to see the screen.

It was a message from Tamaki. She scowled viciously at the dull blue light of the screen, what the hell did he want? Why did he have to be such an early riser, didn't he know how precious she considered her sleep?

Haruhi wasn't nearly as irritable in the mornings as Kyoya or Honey-kun but this was crossing the line. It wasn't even 6am yet.

She debated just deleting the message before reading it for a moment but decided against doing so. He'd woken her up after all, she didn't want it to be in vain. Her bleary eyes scanned the expanse of characters and emoticons two times before she was able to get the gist of the message he was trying to relay to her, he always had been a rather frantic typer, never able to put his thoughts in order. He wanted to visit with her, just to talk and she how she'd been recently now that he had returned from visiting his mother.

Haruhi groaned out loud, this news was far from pleasing, she did not want to have to entertain Tamaki at the moment, she had far too much to worry about without having to cater to the chaos that was that man. This was the first time he requested more from her than a call back, he was asking to see her. Furthermore, she doubted he would actually wait until she responded to him to make plans, rather he would take it upon himself to show up sometime during the next day or two and accost her. She didn't particularly enjoy his surprise attacks.

She knew attempting to sleep again would be useless so she shuffled out of her bedroom and headed towards the kitchen, since she was up early enough she figured she could make herself and Honey a bento and also scrape together a little something for her to eat for breakfast. Gathering all the ingredients she would need to make her favorite dishes she set about the task of cooking all the elements of the box.

Cooking always proved rather therapeutic to Haruhi, the familiar motions of working through all the recipes that her mother had left for her calmed the jagged nerves that she seemed to have to nurse most often when Tamaki was involved in her life. She chopped vegetables expertly as she slid them all into the skillet she was currently working in, she always seemed to add just the right amount of spices to a dish without having to measure. When she was younger she was always pleased when she was able to properly create a dish, it provided her with a sense of fulfillment.

She knew she wouldn't be able to get her small friend to eat anything from her bento unless she included a sweet treat for him to enjoy as well so she made bite sized donuts that she sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. It was just the perfect amount of sweetness, she thought, not too overwhelming but certainly enough to satisfy the ravenous cravings that Honey seemed to have for sugar.

Haruhi arranged the food in two bento that she then wrapped to make transportation of the meal easier. She wondered if Mori-senpai would have enjoyed eating one of her bento as well, she recalled long ago when she had made a bento large enough for all the host club members to share, though she'd intended to do so in order for Tamaki to eat lunch with them, however, she seemed to remember her senpai eating the food she made with fervor and the thought pleased her. Perhaps when he returned from his competition she would make him dinner, a small thank you for taking the time to teach her self defense and saving her life. She was shocked at how little she had actually done to express the proper amount of gratitude for him for all he had done, for giving himself so freely. She resolved she would certainly cook for him when he returned, it was the least she could do.

She left the boxes on the counter as she moved to the table so she could enjoy a simple rice omelet and a cup of chamomile tea. She was taking extreme precautionary measures so she could remain calm for the rest of the day. If she was going to be able to handle Tamaki at all, she needed to be in a serene frame of mind. Throughout the course of her meal she received several more messages from the blonde which could only mean one thing, he was getting closer... she wouldn't be surprised if he showed up at her door as she was leaving for class but she hoped he would be sensible enough to wait until after she had lectures today to try and speak with her. With any luck he would be visiting Kyoya first which would buy her a little time but not much.

* * *

Haruhi made her way towards campus at a leisurely pace, a tad bit slower than she usually would but today her enthusiasm was at a record low. Not only was it inevitable that she would have to speak with her temperamental ex-boyfriend but she knew that the one person she truly wanted to see, the only one whose presence could possibly calm her, would not be present at school due to the fact that he was miles and miles away.

She sighed out loud as she walked past the coffee shop that she had run into him at the previous morning, she wished she could just walk in and he would be waiting there for her but she knew better. Haruhi was not one to dwell in fickle illusions, that was more of Tamaki's department.

She had been unable to speak with her tall senpai about their encounter at her home, she was interested to know what he was thinking and she knew he wouldn't actually voice those thoughts aloud unless she asked him directly. She hoped next time she tried she wouldn't be interrupted.

Irritated with the direction her thoughts had taken she made a serious effort to focus on the path ahead of her. Haruhi knew it would do no good to sit and dwell on situations she could not understand.

"Haru-chan!"

The brown-eyed girl turned in the direction of the voice, spotting its owner just a short distance away. Honey had a pleasant smile on his face and he was waving so frantically he looked like a hummingbird; it was as if he hadn't seen her for years and was running into an old friend. She was always tickled that he seemed so happy to be with her.

"Good morning, Honey-kun" she said as she reached him.

"Good morning! I was going to stop by your house and walk you to school... but I slept in..." he admitted sheepishly, rubbing at his eye.

Haruhi giggled, unable to hold back the reaction. She assumed without Mori-senpai around to make sure he got out of bed on time her small friend would manage to oversleep.

She couldn't help herself, she had to ask "Have you spoken to Mori-senpai yet? Did he make it to Tokyo?"

"No. He called me yesterday but I never got the chance to call him back, after judo this afternoon I'm going to try and see if I can't catch him to see if he's alright." he said, it was true that he didn't get the chance to call Takashi back yet, however, he'd actually ignored his cousins call. He felt guilty for doing so now but at the time he was angry with his tall cousin because he didn't bother to try to say goodbye before he left, not to mention his choice to leave the fate of the judo club in the hands of Katsu. Yet, he knew Takashi didn't deserve this treatment as he was sure that his friend did not intend to slight him in any way.

"I see." She said, she didn't like how disappointed she sounded.

Honey happened to notice her dejected tone and he liked it just fine, it meant she missed Takashi already.

"Don't worry Haru-chan! I'll make sure I let Takashi know that you're worried about him"

"I'm not worried!" she yelled, clearly perturbed by her friends comment. "It would just be nice to know if he made it there safely, that's all."

Honey smiled knowingly but didn't say anything further. No need to get her all flustered.

"Eh, Haru-chan? What's that?" he asked, peering around her and pointing to the paper bag she carried that held the bento she made earlier in the day.

She had forgotten all about them, her mind too preoccupied with thoughts of Mori-senpai, judo club, and Tamaki.

"Oh! I made us some bento, I figured we could eat together since we both have a free period at the same time today. Since Mori-senpai isn't around I thought you might like the company."

Honey was only able to stare at her for a moment. He was astounded that she would even bother to do such a thoughtful thing for him and he found himself delighted by the fact. It was times like these that Honey understood why so many of his friends had grown to fall in love with this woman, why so many had fallen for the awkward charm that she possessed. It wasn't just that Haruhi was the first genuine girl for them all to get close to, it wasn't just that she was beautiful or smart or kind. It was the unintentional sacrifices and sweet gestures like these that made her so unique, so far removed from the privileged, self serving women they knew through their life of affluence. She did these sorts of things without much thought and without the need to receive anything in return. She had no ulterior motivation. She did these things because she cared about them, all of them, nothing more.

"Yay!" he yelled, his smile as brilliant as the sun that shone in the sky, he was now very impatient for lunch hour to arrive. He enjoyed Haruhi's cooking and it had certainly been a long time since he was able to enjoy it.

She smiled sweetly at her friend, glad that he seemed to be happy due to the prospect of her food.

They bid each other goodbye for the time being so they could head to their respective classrooms. The pair decided they would take lunch together on the west side of campus today at around noon time near the science building since that was where Honey's current lecture was being held.

* * *

"Kyoya!"

The aforementioned youth cringed at the sound of his name being called, whined really, for what could only be the three hundredth time that afternoon. The slender man had tried, with some difficulty, to ignore his hair brained best friend but unfortunately for him, the blonde seemed to be in rare form today and he would not be denied.

"What?" the dark haired boy growled, turning in the chair at his desk to face the source of his vile mood.

Tamaki was laid out across Kyoya's expansive bed looking like a lost puppy, his indigo eyes staring at the ceiling, his blond hair stood out in stark contrast to the dark, silk sheets. A seemingly misplaced frown on his face, the expression seemed foreign considering the ever present smile he usually wore.

"Why won't she return my calls?" he asked again, sounding dejected and depressed.

Kyoya rolled his mahogany eyes and sighed heavily. He was tired, so very tired of this topic of conversation. He wasn't sure how he could word this so Tamaki would understand that Haruhi just did not love him anymore and if Kyoya was going to be honest, he understood why.

Tamaki could absolutely be a handful, even for someone who was well equipped to deal with those types of characters the way Haruhi was. He was spastic, loud, annoying, energetic… he often indulged in grandiose illusions and for people who were so deeply rooted in reality, like himself and Haruhi, it frequently became exhausting.

Everyone had a breaking point and Haruhi had reached hers with Tamaki. Kyoya was genuinely surprised that it had taken this long for her to finally put an end to their tumultuous relationship. It had been almost a year now since she broke up with him and she'd just recently stopped returning his calls. He assumed that Haruhi was trying to find a solution to their problem. He was sure that she thought if she didn't contact him he would eventually understand but it had the complete opposite effect, instead of forcing him to come to terms with the break up it sent him spiraling into a depression and when she'd had her accident that only served to exacerbate the issue, his personal insecurities were becoming overwhelming.

Not that Kyoya felt that was the only factor in the demise of his friend's relationship, he also suspected Tamaki never really came to terms with the truth about the feelings he had for Haruhi. Often he would still refer to himself as 'daddy' when they were together and he could only begin to imagine how awkward that must have been for Haruhi seeing as they were supposed to be in an actual relationship at that point, which he could only assume had a physical aspect as well. His friend couldn't reconcile how he should treat her because she was the only woman he'd ever loved and the only love he'd known how to express was of a familial nature. Even being the narcissist that he was, Tamaki did not know how to express genuine feelings, ones that did not require his princely act that he adopted while in the host club.

Though he truly wanted nothing but happiness for his friend, he no longer believed he could find that with Haruhi. The two simply were not compatible.

"Tamaki... she probably hasn't been able to respond to you because you've buried her with three years worth of text messages and voicemails in the span of 24 hours. Give it a rest already." he said, he sounded weary because he was. He had a major clinical coming up within the next week and he was taking every measure he could to make sure he was properly prepared. Skill and precision were his goals, he wanted to be a competent and brilliant doctor and he knew he damn well could be if he could just gain a moment of peace to himself to study. As far as Kyoya was aware, Tamaki had not even returned to his own home when he reached Japan, instead he decided to park himself on his bed and bother him all afternoon with his romantic woes.

He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, trying in vain to fight the impending migraine that he could feel brewing.

"Why can't you just love me, Haruhi?" Tamaki muttered to no one but himself, he turned to lie on his stomach and rest his head on his arms.

He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and flipped it open… no new messages. With a flick of his wrist he had it closed again, he turned it over to look at the picture of he and Haruhi, the one they took long before they were a couple. He missed seeing her every day, he missed being able to view that tender smile that she rarely let anyone see, the one that he made sure to commit to memory each time he'd been lucky enough to view it because he knew how seldom it occurred.

Tamaki placed it back in his pocket, he picked up one of his friends soft pillows and moved to bury his face in it, he did not want Kyoya to see the lonely tears that had begun to stream down his handsome face.

Kyoya sighed softly as he turned back around to his work, offering his friend the privacy he knew he needed.

* * *

"Haru-chan! It's beautiful, you made this all for me?" Honey squealed in pleasure as he unwrapped his own bento, revealing the contents.

"You even made me a treat!"

"Yes, I did but you eat those after you eat the rest of your meal." she said sternly, hoping he would obey her. She didn't want him to spoil his appetite with the sweets first. Haruhi always wondered if possibly the man's sugar intake had stunted his growth, resulting in his diminutive stature but it seemed unlikely considering how absurdly strong he was.

"Okay..." Honey grumbled but did as he was told.

Satisfied, Haruhi picked up her own chopsticks and began to eat the food she'd prepared that morning, pleased with the flavor of the ginger pork. She'd added a little more soy sauce than usual this morning, which had actually been accidental in her sleep deprived state, but it seemed to work in her favor as she felt it counterbalanced the spiciness of the ginger perfectly. She made a mental note to make a correction on her recipe card once she got home this evening.

The tawny haired girl closed her eyes as a warm breeze ghosted across the courtyard, rustling the leaves on the trees. A few more warm days like this and the cherry blossoms would certainly begin to blossom she thought to herself.

"Fujioka!"

She turned around at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, searching for who would be seeking her out at the moment.

Her eyes settled on the form of Katsu as he walked across the green grass towards her. It was strange to see him wearing something other than the gi and pants she usually saw him in. He was a rather casual dresser considering the vast wealth most of the students at Ouran University had, he wore a pair of dark blue jeans and a black t-shirt with a logo of what she assumed was a band she'd never heard of before adorning the front. She noticed he had several earrings in his ears, she had never seen those before. He must have to take them out each time he entered the dojo, she thought that seemed like a hassle. He wore a simple pair of sandals on his feet which she found to be rather abnormal considering it wasn't truly warm enough to justify such an article.

"Oh, Katsu-senpai, how are you?" she asked, still wondering why he was here. She'd never seen him outside of the dojo before and she never would have guessed he would seek her out for any reason.

He took her question as an invitation, he joined her by sitting on the grass across from her.

He laughed at her greeting. "Didn't we agree that I was just Katsu? Please, don't add the senpai or sensei, there's no need for it."

Honey smiled politely at the boy but on the inside he was seething. Who did this guy think he was addressing himself to Haruhi so casually? They were not on terms familiar enough for that.

"Hello, Katsu-chan!" he said, hoping that the chan would irritate the other man.

Katsu winced almost imperceptibly at the nickname that Honey gave him. Ridiculous, he was a grown man, no one should be addressing him as chan, not even his own grandmother would do so.

"Hello Haninozuka-senpai. Would it be alright if I spoke to Fujioka for a moment?" he asked, gesturing towards the young woman trying to seem polite. It didn't matter what his answer would be he was going to speak with her whether he agreed or not.

"You should be asking Haruhi, not me." he said, still smiling but barely able to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

Haruhi's eyes widened, Honey never called her by her full first name. He'd always referred to her as Haru-chan, from the very day he met her. She wondered what Katsu wanted to say to her and why he couldn't say it in front of Honey.

She thought for a moment before deciding to at least find out what he wanted.

"I suppose that's alright."

Katsu looked pointedly at Honey, making it clear that he expected him to leave to give them some privacy.

Honey bristled inwardly, he did not like this guy. In truth, he'd never really liked him but he was a competent martial artist so he understood why Takashi deemed him a good assistant instructor, especially considering the fact that he, himself had declined the offer. Now he almost wished he hadn't done so. There was something about Katsu that seemed cold no matter how polite he portrayed himself to be.

However, he didn't really have the choice to refuse as Haruhi was also looking at him, waiting for him to take his leave.

"Thanks for lunch, Haru-chan. I'll see you in the dojo, okay?" he said before collecting his books and standing.

"Yeah, I'll see you then."

Her eyes trailed after the golden haired boy, she wondered why he seemed so upset. His ever present smile seldom dropped from its place but this afternoon it had.

She returned her attention to the boy before her now, Katsu. She was genuinely interested to see just what it was that he could possibly need or want from her. He'd never taken an interest in her before now.

"Excuse me Fujioka, I didn't mean to interrupt your meal with your friend." he began by apologizing..

"That's alright, I assume this must be something important seeing as you've never spoken to me outside of the dojo before." she replied.

He laughed, "Well it's not exactly important but I'm hoping you'll hear me out anyway."

She cocked her head to the side, curious. She couldn't imagine what he could possibly need from her. Perhaps he was having a hard time with his current studies, did he need a tutor? Haruhi, though younger, was still at the top of her class and within the entire school she only ranked second to Kyoya. She almost welcomed that scenario, it would be nice if she could repay him for teaching her defensive skills in Mori-senpai's absence.

"Haruhiiii!"

The young woman's entire body seized upon hearing _**his **_voice, her eyes snapping up. She was really hoping he wouldn't come to campus like this but she knew better. He didn't have any sense of propriety.

Katsu's eyes followed Haruhi's gaze where they settled on the form of Suou Tamaki, he remembered him from Ouran Academy. He never really liked the man, he was overtly ostentatious, he'd found him to be rather annoying. Haruhi seemed to be unsettled by his presence and he wondered if he should ask the other man to leave but he didn't want to overstep his bounds, he wished to remain on good terms with her for the time being.

Tamaki, who was still making his way across the courtyard, was trying to figure out whom Haruhi's current companion was. For a brief moment he worried that perhaps she wasn't responding to him lately because she'd found someone new, but he felt she would have shared that sort of information with him. Wouldn't she? He felt vicious envy rear its ugly head within him and he struggled to fight it back. Tamaki didn't enjoy the idea of Haruhi being with another person, why couldn't she love him? What could this man or any other offer her that he didn't have? He would steal the moon from the sky for Haruhi if she wished it of him but even that didn't seem to be enough.

Tamaki stopped in front of his ex lover, she remained where she was seated on the grass, looking up at him with those beautifully clear brown eyes, God how he missed them.

"Haruhi, why haven't you been returning my calls?" he asked.

He sounded so melancholy and dismal, his usually annoying hysterical personality was nowhere to be found. Haruhi was struck with an extreme pang of guilt. She'd never meant to cause him harm or distress, in fact she'd been trying to make this easier for him. She thought if she didn't continue contact with him, his feelings for her would eventually relent and they could be friends again, the way they were before this whole debacle occurred.

Haruhi was struck dumb by this development, his text messages and even his voicemails never held even a trace of this depression he was currently exhibiting, she had been completely unaware. "I…" she faltered, she couldn't think of a response that would be satisfactory. She knew he didn't mean to, but he was putting her in a rather awkward position. She was still well aware of Katsu's presence and she didn't wish to discuss her personal life in front of him.

She turned her attention from Tamaki to Katsu.

"I'm so sorry Katsu but could we possibly speak later?" she pleaded, hoping he would understand. Haruhi really wasn't trying to be rude but she just couldn't do this with an audience present.

Katsu glared at Tamaki, aggravated that he'd been interrupted. Tamaki was taken aback by the gesture and he took a step back under the force of the other man's gaze.

Haruhi didn't seem notice the expression.

"It's okay, Fujioka. Like I said, it wasn't really important." He said flippantly. "Will I be seeing you this afternoon?" he made sure not to mention the dojo, knowing how the statement could be interpreted if he did not.

He noticed Suou flare in his peripheral vision, Katsu smiled to himself.

Haruhi looked between the two men uncomfortable for a moment before coming to a conclusion. "No, unfortunately, this is something I really need to take care of. I'll make up for my absence somehow."

"We'll figure it out." He smiled at her before rising from his place across from her.

He walked past Suou and was pleased when he heard the man huff, he was obviously flustered.

"See you later, Fujioka!" he called over his shoulder.

Haruhi turned her attention to Tamaki again, she was dreading this, she didn't want to be put in this situation but he brought it upon her.

"Come with me." She said as she rose.

The two walked off the school grounds, in the direction of Haruhi's apartment. She needed to put an end to this.

* * *

Mori drank deeply from his water bottle as sweat poured down his heated face, his heart was beating rapidly in his broad chest, a result of his extensive activities. He was running through several complicated drills with his students, they needed practice. The team, in itself, was made up of several very talented men, however, there were a few areas in which they needed to modulate so they would have the best chances of victory.

He was doing his best to stay focused and thorough with his exercises, trying to be as flawless as possible so he could set the correct example for everyone but it was exceedingly difficult because he had instantly noticed Katsu's absence when his other students arrived this morning. He wasn't made aware that the man would not be joining them.

When he asked one of the members of the team they informed him that Katsu had an injury that was keeping him from participating in the competition. Mori had never been informed of any such injury.

He wondered to himself if that injury also stopped him from being able to coach the judo club, he absolutely had to reach Mitskuni today. He didn't truly grasp what was going on… he wondered if the man was still conducting classes without him. He wondered if Mitskuni was going to continue working with Haruhi until he returned. He wondered if Katsu was training Haruhi…

Mori disapproved of that idea, he unconsciously clenched his fist, the one holding the bottle causing the plastic to crackle in protest, he hoped it wasn't true. After what happened last week he didn't want Katsu anywhere near Haruhi under any circumstances.

"Mori-senpai? It's been ten minutes now, the break is over. What should we work on next?" asked one of the team members. He was worried, their captain seemed to be drifting in and out of concentration all afternoon. A few times he had even tripped over his own two feet.

Mori was embarrassed to have been caught off guard so easily. He wouldn't allow himself to truly worry until he spoke with Mitskuni. He would call him this evening when he returned to his room, until then he needed to give his team his undivided attention.

* * *

Haruhi opened the door to her home and ushered the blonde inside, neither party had said a word on the way over and she found that silence to be very uncomfortable, far different from the companionable quiet she was able to share with Mori-senpai.

Tamaki stood just inside the door, not daring to move any further. It had been quite some time since he'd been to her apartment to see her, the last time being the night she broke up with him. His fragile heart nearly shattered in his chest again as he remembered that fateful night. He never got an honest answer from her for why she felt the need to end their relationship, hopefully he would be able to receive that clarification today.

Haruhi moved past him and made her way to the kitchen. "Would you like some tea, senpai?" she asked, her voice sounded flat and dull.

He frowned when she called him senpai. Were they so far removed from each other now that she couldn't speak his name?

"Sure, that sounds nice." He replied, though the way his stomach was knotting and turning at the moment he wasn't sure he would be able to keep it down.

"Go ahead and make yourself comfortable in the sitting room, I'll be right there."

Tamaki did as he was told, he took a seat at the low table in the room that housed her television. He wasn't sure she ever even turned it on, Haruhi rarely viewed anything other than the news. She was far more interested in a good book than any of the mindless shows that he tended to fancy.

He inhaled deeply, the entire home smelled of her. He felt soothed, complete when he was with her and he just could not understand why she didn't feel the same because there was a time, that seemed so long ago now when she'd shared the same feelings for him as well. She had loved him. He knew this to be true because she had told him and he had felt it from her. He didn't know what changed.

Haruhi entered the room with a tray of tea and some of the cinnamon donuts she'd made that morning. She was glad she had something to present him with, she hadn't been to the grocery store yet this week. She didn't want to be a bad hostess, though no one could blame her if she wasn't prepared. He didn't really give her the courtesy of announcing himself properly before he showed up.

Tamaki watched as Haruhi poured each of them a cup of tea, she placed his in front of him along with a small plate of treats and it was very difficult not to reach out and take her hand in his. He missed being close to her.

As she settled into the space across from him, she tried to ignore his gaze on her. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she didn't understand why she was so nervous. This was just Tamaki, no reason to be anxious.

"How is your mother?" she asked, hoping she would be able to keep the conversation between them light, at least for a moment.

He smiled warmly, "She's doing so well, Haruhi. Father is hoping she will be well enough soon to stay in Japan, for good."

Haruhi's heart clenched in her chest at the wistful expression that graced his beautiful face, he had always wanted his family under one roof, wanted them all to get along and slowly but surely it seemed to be coming together. His lifelong dream may finally come to fruition and she prayed from the bottom of her heart that it would.

"That's great, Tamaki." She told him and she genuinely meant it.

He smiled in response. "Indeed, it is."

"Did you not like the gifts I sent?" he asked, catching her off guard, the very sudden shift in their conversation was difficult for her to process. She'd completely forgotten about them, abandoned in the corner of the room.

She frowned, "I asked you to stop sending them, don't you remember?" She'd asked him not to continue lavishing gifts upon her, she'd never wanted them in the first place.

He grimaced, he remembered but he'd ignored her. Tamaki just wanted her to know that he appreciated her, that he wanted to be with her. He didn't know any other way to tell her that he loved her, he'd begun sending them in increasing intervals, especially after her accident.

"I'm sorry, I just thought you would enjoy those things…" he trailed off, feeling like a fool. He hadn't respected her wishes and she was obviously irritated by the fact.

"It's alright." She soothed.

They sipped their tea in silence for several long minutes, neither truly knowing how they should speak to the other.

"I miss you." Tamaki finally dared to break the silence, unable to look at her face, afraid of what she would reveal to him.

Haruhi sighed, a frown pulling at the corners of her mouth. "I know."

He flared at how unaffected she sounded, "No, Haruhi, I don't think you know. You haven't even given me a chance to tell you, how could you possibly know?"

She flinched at his harsh tone, how different he seemed to be but she couldn't rightfully be angry with him, she'd ignored him, disregarded his feelings completely.

"I'm sorry, Tamaki." Her voice was low and subdued, "I never meant to hurt you, please understand that. I just… I thought if I didn't speak with you anymore, it would give you the opportunity to move on. I was trying to make this easier for the both of us."

Tamaki let out a short laugh, one that was without humor, "It doesn't make it easier for me and not being able to speak with you is torture. I do not want to move on, Haruhi. I love you, that hasn't changed." He reached across the table and took her hand, "That _**won't**_ change." He told her, his voice firm and yet the hold he had on her hand was exceedingly gentle.

"Do you understand, Haruhi? Do you know how difficult it was to keep my distance from you after you were attacked? I didn't want to but I knew that my presence would hinder your recovery and I couldn't justify that but it hurts, it hurt so badly to know that you didn't want me around. That there was nothing I could offer you, nothing I could do because you would not let me." He managed to grit out though he couldn't imagine how he'd done so, he was having a hard time speaking around the tightness in his throat, like some sort of emotional gag.

Tamaki's world had shattered when Haruhi left him but at the time he was not willing to push her to take him back. He knew, first hand, how stubborn Haruhi could be so giving her space was the best course of action, and yet nothing could have prepared him for the brutal reality he was introduced to by her attack. Though Tamaki's life had not exactly been easy in all aspects, it was still one of leisure and prosperity. He was very rarely denied anything and he had never completely lost anyone. In a sense, he lost his mother for a time but given the situation that was the best course of action, it was required so that she could continue to live.

That day he had almost lost someone he loved forever and the idea of something being snatched from him so unjustly and in such a heinous manner, it did not sit well with him. It triggered severe emotional trauma within him, one that had always bubbled just beneath the surface of his consciousness. Throughout his life he was successful in keeping the anxiety he had at a manageable level but after what happened to Haruhi, the woman he loved, he could no longer keep those feelings at bay. He couldn't stop the almost fanatical need to be with her again because he knew now how precious their time together was. He truly loved her, with every fiber of his being, with every breath he took, it was all for her and yet he'd never honestly told her so when they were together. He knew that part of the reason they crumbled was because he never made his intentions clear to her. Tamaki, in fact, did not think of Haruhi as a daughter. He thought of her as a woman. A strong, beautiful, captivating, desirable, and sometimes insufferable woman but he wouldn't take her any other way.

Haruhi really thought she would be impervious to this but then again she'd never expected these sorts of emotions from him. She'd believed this would be far easier than it was turning out to be. She truly had loved this man, she still did, just not the way he wanted her to and it broke her heart to know that there was nothing further she could do for him, even as she saw the turmoil swirling in his eyes. She wanted to remain his friend but she wasn't sure if he would allow it, if he was even capable of doing so.

She removed her hand gently from his and as she did so the look of pure anguish that settled on his face finally broke her.

She rarely cried, she couldn't remember the last time she'd done so. The night she broke things off with him she hadn't even shed a tear even as he begged her not to. But somehow, seeing what she'd done to him, having the pain she caused him so evident and naked on his face, she couldn't help it as the tears broke free.

"Tamaki, I just can't, I'm so sorry…" she stammered, she didn't know what to say, she didn't know how to ease his pain because she was the cause of it.

Tamaki's bottom lip trembled but he managed to keep himself together, he knew when he came here there was the distinct possibility that she wouldn't accept him, in truth, he knew it was the only possibility. This was difficult for him to accept but he already knew this would happen, she'd been avoiding him for months but it didn't make the blow any easier to endure. Haruhi did not love him any longer, he had known this for quite some time but his optimistic disposition just would not allow him to accept it until he heard it from her directly.

"Why?" he asked, "You never told me why, did I do something wrong?"

"No, no! I just…" her tears began to stream heavily down her face, she hadn't expected emotions of this magnitude. "I don't feel that way for you anymore, Tamaki. It's not what you did or didn't do, you're a great person and a very dear friend. We're just far too different. Please just understand, please." She told him, begged really. Haruhi couldn't seem to form a concise thought, there was no easy way to tell someone you didn't love them just like there was no easy way to tell someone that you did love them. Tamaki was a completely different breed of person than she was and in the beginning it had worked out in their favor, they counterbalanced each other, their separate natures complimented one another but Haruhi quickly outgrew those warm fuzzy feelings. Soon they were replaced by a subdued resentment that she found terrifying. She never wanted to feel that way towards Tamaki, so in order to quell those feelings, she put the distance between them that she felt she so desperately needed. Now, she felt fondly for him, the way she did when they first met. He was still annoying and impossibly energetic, but she once again saw him for the sweet man she knew he truly was. She knew that there was no hope of fostering another romantic relationship with him because she feared that resentment would return, with a greater intensity and she just couldn't allow it because she knew he had done nothing to deserve it.

Tamaki took a deep breath, trying to keep himself together. He truly felt horrible for making Haruhi cry but he needed this chance. He needed her to comprehend how much he loved her, even if she could no longer return those feelings. After months of keeping his distance for her sake, at the cost of his own stability, she owed him this much at least.

"Are you with someone else?" he whispered, though he was frightened of the answer he might receive. "Is that man I saw you with today your boyfriend?"

Her brow furrowed, her tears had finally begun to slow and she was struggling to catch her breath. Once again he'd thrown a question her way that she didn't anticipate, she tried to remember who she was with this afternoon… Katsu, she'd completely forgotten.

She sniffled, "Um… no, that was Katsu, he helps run the dojo with Mori-senpai at the school. We've just recently gotten to know each other."

Tamaki released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and his aching lungs thanked him for it. This news pleased Tamaki, he didn't like the looks of Katsu but he was fairly certain he wouldn't like the looks of any man that was with Haruhi. He knew he wouldn't be pleased with any new man in her life but he wanted her to be happy, even if that was without him, even though that was still excruciatingly painful.

He took her hand in his again, this time she did not remove it, he pressed a fleeting kiss to the back of her hand, remembering the times that she so readily allowed him to hold hers and he felt his heart clench in his chest as the gravity of the situation finally sunk in, Haruhi was no longer his. Haruhi would never again be his.

Haruhi's eyes closed as a fresh wave of guilt wracked its way through her small body.

"Tamaki, I'm so s…." her statement was cut off as he pressed his mouth against hers, her eyes opening wide in response and for a transient moment she remembered why she'd fallen for this man. He was passionate, completely devoted to her in every way.

Tamaki's tongue slipped past her lips and teeth, deepening their kiss and she allowed this intrusion, knowing that once it was over they would never again join this way. She hoped this would serve as closure for him, that he would be able to move on.

He placed his hand gently on the side of her neck, he could feel the pounding of her pulse, the blood pumping furiously in her veins. It seemed Haruhi wasn't as unmoved by him as he believed her to be. He brushed aside the faint spark of hope that knowledge ignited within him because he knew it to be false. This was the end of Tamaki and Haruhi as lovers, but every ending created potentials for new beginnings.

Even though he knew chances were slim to none, he would still always keep a space open in his heart for this woman. For the first love of his life, a woman that he had been honored to meet and had, for a time, been lucky enough to receive her love.

Tamaki finally pulled away from Haruhi reluctantly, his eyes warm, almost glowing as he looked at her. Her face was flushed but there was no trace of the emotion in her gaze that he wanted to see, just a subdued fondness.

"I think I should go…" he whispered, knowing that if he were to stay he might not be able to control himself and push her for more than what she had already given.

She cleared her throat, "Okay…"

The pair made their way to her front door, Haruhi reached out and grabbed the door knob but didn't turn it, this felt so final and for a moment she felt ice cold panic flood her system.

What if he never wanted to see her again?

Her eyes widened at the thought, realizing this was exactly how Tamaki must have been feeling for these few months that she'd denied him her company and suddenly she understood exactly where this overwhelming depression he seemed to be stuck in had manifested from.

It was all her fault.

"Tamaki… oh God, I understand now. I'm so sorry." she said, she turned to him and threw her arms around his neck, embracing the man she used to love tightly. She was frightened that if she let him go he would walk out of her life forever, never to return. She didn't love Tamaki romantically but the idea that he would never want to see her again was too much to bear.

The beautiful boy was taken off guard for a split second but he quickly recovered and brought his arms around her waist, returning her embrace.

"It's okay Haruhi." He soothed, he ran his fingers through her hair, surprised by how long it had become.

They stayed this way for quite some time, each party allowing themselves to be comforted by the presence of the other. Memories of all types flooded both of their senses as they held each other and for a moment Haruhi debated with herself. Did she truly not love this man?

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, hoping to gain some comfort in her ex-lovers familiar scent and to her surprise, her nose wrinkled. He smelled exactly as he always had, Tamaki's essence, as she found was always rather floral and for so long she had found comfort in it but now… it seemed almost foreign. Not necessarily unpleasant but just… wrong.

She seemed to recall a far different scent, one that was spicy and at the same time mild, complex but very distinct and so very lovely. She struggled to place where she'd stumbled upon that tantalizing smell. She felt the air sucked out of her lungs as she gasped, remembering the source of it. The first time she could ever remember encountering it was the day she was astride Mori-senpai's back as he carried her across campus and the memory of his deep voice as it vibrated through his body, the feel of his muscles as they shifted upon his broad back made a heat rise within her that she'd never experienced before.

She found it odd that she would recall such a thing. Mori-senpai was completely unrelated to this situation.

"I know you don't feel the same for me Haruhi but I do want you to know that I love you, that you're the only woman I have ever loved and I am so thankful that I was given the chance to be with you." He murmured softly into her hair finally finding the strength now to convey to her how he felt, saying what he should have said all along. Had he done so before now, had he given her the things she asked for instead of what he thought she wanted, he may not be forced to let go of her now. Unwittingly, he had taken for granted the love she'd shared with him and now he was paying the price. It seemed regret would now become the latest in a string of emotions that would be forever tied to himself and Haruhi.

Haruhi stood still, unsure of how she should respond, so she asked the only question she cared to know the answer to.

"Tamaki, we can still be friends can't we? Even after all of this, even after everything I've put you through, can you still be my friend?" she croaked out, "I don't think I can live my life without the chaos you bring to it." She finished and she meant no harm by her comment, she was just merely stating a fact.

Tamaki laughed in spite of himself, knowing Haruhi didn't meant to slight him in anyway. He knew he couldn't live his life without her either, in some facet. If they couldn't be lovers, he would vow to be the best friend he could be to her.

"Of course, Haruhi."

She relaxed into his arms, allowing herself to be comforted by him for just a minute longer.

He squeezed her gently and released her shortly thereafter, he didn't want to make this any harder for them than it already was. He'd gotten what he needed, not necessarily what he wanted, but he'd received his closure.

She opened the door for him.

"Maybe we can get together sometime soon for coffee, to talk. You can tell me all about what you've been up to in your classes." He said, that's what friends did after all.

She smiled but the expression was severely strained and the gesture didn't touch her eyes.

"Absolutely." she agreed.

He resisted the urge to reach out and run his fingertips down her face, instead he used what little self control he did possess, turned and left. He heard the door close behind him.

He slowly made his way down the stairs before turning on the sidewalk and heading in the direction of his own home, glad that he had a long walk ahead of him. He would not return to Kyoya's this evening. Tamaki had already intruded on his best friend for far too long, subjected him to so many hours of his tortured whining and he knew that someday soon Kyoya would require a favor of him as payment for that.

He smiled sadly to himself, he knew what he needed now was to be alone.

"Je t'aime, Haruhi." He whispered into the crisp afternoon air, the budding cherry blossoms the only witnesses to the mournful tears that fell from his eyes.

* * *

So sad for Tamaki but I felt it was necessary to provide him with some form of closure. I know he seemed a little out of character for this chapter but I wanted to really highlight the emotional trauma he has been through and how deeply it impacted him. He will return to his goofy smiling self in later chapters, I do not intend to keep him in his funk at all. It was interesting to assess a relationship that was not Haruhi and Mori so I had a good bit of fun with this chapter. I worked very hard on it and would love to hear you feedback, please let me know what you think. I have already begun the next chapter so hopefully I can get it posted a little faster than I did with this one. Again, thank you all for reading, reviewing and adding me to your lists. I appreciate it so much!


	10. Chapter 10

Phew! Another long chapter, I apologize for the delay but as my chapters are becoming longer, my editing process becomes much more in depth. I'm also very involved with the other story I'm currently writing "If I Fail" which is also another alternate pairing, KaoruXSano of Rurouni Kenshin. I don't want to neglect either and I'm still very inspired and full of ideas for both fics. That being said I can promise at least one update a month since I have to split my time amongst the two of them. I'm going to shoot for two updates a month but that will depend solely on how quickly I can write and edit. So I thank you all for bearing with me and waiting so long for an update on this story, I wanted to get this up before the long holiday weekend. Also, **MAJOR SPOILER ALERT** if you have not read through the end of the manga. Proceed with caution. Now that you have been properly warned please enjoy!

* * *

**_CHAPTER 10_**

**_Absence_**

Mori walked out from the steamy bathroom, fresh from his shower, a pristine white towel hung loosely around his slim waist as several drops of moisture traveled down the expanse of his torso. One such drop happened to catch in the hallow created by his collar bone for a moment before it broke free of its confines to continue its downward path, between the crevice that his chiseled stomach created before it finally disappeared beneath the fabric of the towel. He was rubbing another, smaller towel through his thick damp hair, in an attempt to dry it.

With that task accomplished he threw the towel into the laundry bin, leaving it for the maids to take care of when they came by in the morning. The tall youth made his way over to his bags retrieving a pair of boxers and some gym shorts. The evening was warm so he would not need to wear much more. His size alone made his temperature just slightly higher than a normal persons so he had a tendency not to get cold. He had the windows open allowing the fresh clean air to circulate through the room. Even though he'd been here only a short time, he was already feeling rather trapped, claustrophobic even.

He and his team had been training brutally and he was pleased with the progress they were making. However, that was all they did, train and return to their hotel rooms. The schedule was monotonous and it was starting to wear him down. He felt they truly had a shot at winning the competition this weekend, though in his heart, he wasn't particularly interested in doing so. The last time he had been so utterly absorbed in accomplishing this feat, he'd unwittingly put Haruhi in danger. He knew the odds of those events recurring were slim to none but still. Even after all this time, even after all the discussions he'd had with Mitsukuni where his smaller friend would assure him that it wasn't his fault, after the countless hours spent meditating and self reflecting, he couldn't seem to shake the feeling that her accident occurred because of his pride.

If anything he wanted to win for his team. Those men had worked diligently, enduring hours of ferocious training, and they deserved to win the title of champions.

He was brought out of his internal musings as he heard a familiar ring tone sound from his phone. Mori picked it up from the nearby nightstand and pressed the button to connect the call, waiting for the customary greeting of his best friend.

"Takashi!" the man on the other end squealed happily.

"Mitsukuni." came the subdued response.

"Are you having fun in Tokyo? How is the team doing? Do you think you'll win?" he asked in rushed excitement, pleased that he was finally able to speak with Takashi. He missed him more than he realized.

On his end, Mori smirked, it seemed Mitsukuni was doing well in his absence.

"Aa." he said, knowing the other man would understand what he meant, that everything was going well and he was confident.

"You know, Takashi I was upset that you left without saying goodbye, not only to me but you didn't say anything to Haru-chan either!"

Mori's face fell upon hearing this news, he knew he should have said something to the two of them but he honestly didn't have the time. After his students found him and relayed the message, he immediately met with the University's chairman who then arranged for him to be taken straight to Tokyo to get set up in the hotel. The entire situation had been very rushed and due to that there was little to no prior preparation. He'd had no choice.

"But don't worry Takashi, I'm not upset anymore." he said, assuring his friend that he didn't hold any ill will towards him.

Mori felt eased by his friend's reassurance, he'd never meant any ill intent by not saying anything to the two of them. He hoped Haruhi wasn't angry with him.

The thought of Haruhi brought to mind a rather pressing question that he needed to pose to his small friend. "Mitsukuni, are you overseeing the judo club?" he asked.

Honey frowned, "Eh? I thought you told Katsu to handle it. That's what he said, that you entrusted it to him. He said he had an injury that would keep him from going to the nationals but you never told me about that." he said, trying not to sound accusatory.

"Mitsukuni, he never told me of any such injury." Mori stated calmly, or so it seemed that way. In truth he was feeling rather ill at ease. He never gave Katsu permission to continue with the judo club in his absence, he had fully intended on leaving that task in the capable hands of Mitskuni, should he agree, but he had been unable to arrange that before his departure. If Mitskuni declined the offer, he was going to put the club on hiatus until his return. He wondered what Katsu's true motivation for staying behind was and his heart seized up in his chest as he realized what it most likely was… Haruhi.

"Why would he lie about something like that? I thought he would want to participate in the competition so why did he bother to lie just to stay behind?" Honey mused aloud, unable to comprehend why he would do such a thing.

"Haruhi" Mori breathed, not truly meaning to speak her name but his anxiety forced her name from his lips.

"Haru-chan?" Honey questioned, not following or understanding his friend's train of thought.

"Mitsukuni, please, while I'm gone do not allow Haruhi to be alone with Katsu."

"Takashi? What's wrong?" he asked, now slightly alarmed by his cousins previous statement. Then suddenly all the pieces fell into place, he read between the lines and he understood what Takashi was trying to convey.

"You think he's going to hurt Haru-chan?" he demanded, his usually shrill voice was now several octaves lower and venomously cold.

"I do not know… but he makes me feel uneasy." Mori countered because in all honesty he did not have proof that this man was trying to do Haruhi any harm. In fact, the other man had never done anything to her but he just couldn't risk it. He would not ignore his baser instincts this time. He couldn't take the chance of putting her in danger again.

"I understand Takashi… but…" he began, and then faltered, not too sure how he should proceed. "I didn't know! This afternoon he asked to speak with her and Haru-chan said it was alright. I didn't know so I left and this afternoon she wasn't at judo…"

Mori swallowed hard against the rapidly growing dread he was currently feeling. He knew he couldn't be angry with Mitsukuni, not that he ever would be. He had never informed him of his wariness of Katsu.

"Takashi! What have I done?" Honey yelled through the receiver, in a full blown panic. He was frightened something had happened to Haruhi. "I'm going over to her place right now, I have to make sure she's okay."

The blonde man was already trying to maneuver his shoes onto his feet while trying to keep his phone at his ear. He cursed as he realized he was putting his left shoe on his right foot.

"Mitsukuni… I'll try calling her first." Mori said, panicking wasn't going to get them anywhere and they didn't know for sure if anything had happened to her. If Mitsukuni just showed up at her house in hysterics it would put Haruhi on edge as well, she didn't need to be worried. Even though he was wary of Katsu, he could not condemn the man and accuse him of trying to harm her without any proof.

Honey took several labored breaths, trying to get himself back into some semblance of control. He would always be impressed by Takashi's capability to navigate stressful situations while still keeping a level head.

"Okay, call her now! Right now! But make sure you call me back to let me know that she's alright!" he said in a rush.

"Aa." And with that Mori hit the end button with his thumb, disconnecting his call to Mitsukuni.

The stoic youth scrolled through his meager contacts list until he reached Haruhi's number and for some reason he hesitated to hit the call button. It wasn't that he was frightened she wouldn't answer, he was fairly certain Haruhi was alright. If something truly had happened to her, they would have found out one way or another. News always travelled quickly within their group of friends. He could not prove this theory but he suspected Kyoya still had them all under some form of surveillance. Besides, he took comfort in the knowledge that the rest of the judo club was still on campus with her as well, they wouldn't allow any damage to befall the young woman. Still, he couldn't help but find himself feeling nervous.

He'd never called Haruhi before… ever.

Anytime they'd ever spoken had been in person, he really only had her number because of the host club. Tamaki had insisted that everyone be included on every members contact list, and it came as no surprise to anyone that this command came shortly after the fiasco in Karuizawa where he tried to be added to Haruhi's "friends" list.

He let out a long sigh before he finally pressed the button. To his surprise he realized he was pacing, upon this realization he made a conscious effort to sit still. It was just Haruhi, there was no need to feel nervous.

The line rang about four times before he heard her pick up and at first he wondered if she was going to hang up on him, all he could hear on her end was shuffling.

"Hello?" was the quiet response he received.

His brows furrowed, for a moment he wondered if he possibly misdialed, this certainly didn't sound like the Haruhi he knew.

"Haruhi?" he questioned.

Silence was all he heard for several beats, "Mori-senpai?" the girl asked.

He smiled, he could hear her shock over the phone and he could envision her skeptical face, the one she wore so many times over the years when she was dragged into the fiascos of the host club. She had every right to be confused. She probably had not even realized that he owned a cell phone, let alone used it to contact anyone.

"Aa."

"I'm sorry senpai, I didn't check my caller ID before I answered the phone, I didn't realize it was you." She said, though she was still quite shocked that he was actually on the other line. He had never called her before, she had been unaware that he even had her phone number

He didn't respond, not that she truly expected him to. He was still the same person whether it was on the phone or not, which meant he was quiet, she imagined he wouldn't be the one offering up any sort of conversation.

"How is Tokyo? Did you get settled in there alright?" she asked, hoping to keep their conversation alive. His phone call, surprising though it may be, was a welcome distraction.

"Aa. Everything is going well so far." He said. Only now did he realize how strange this must be for her. He wasn't sure what he should say to her, he'd only called her to make sure she was alright and now that he knew she was he didn't truly have any reason to speak with her. However, he didn't want to hang up just yet, it was pleasant hearing her voice.

"How are things back at home? Is Mitsukuni behaving himself?" he continued, hoping to keep her interest.

Haruhi laughed, though the reaction sounded almost choked.

"Honey-kun is just fine. I made him a bento today and would you believe it, he ate the whole thing. Not just the dessert I'd made for him."

He smiled, that was surprising news indeed. Mitsukuni, though more disciplined with his sweets intake than in the past, still enjoyed having his dessert before the rest of the meal and more often than not he filled up on the sweets before he'd ever gotten to the main course. But Mori knew how delightful Haruhi's cooking was, so he understood why his small friend had eaten every last bite.

Mori tried to ignore the nagging question in his head, when Haruhi had answered the phone he instantly noticed the strange pitch in her voice, almost as if she'd recently been crying. He debated on whether or not he should ask, but decided it was best if he knew.

He wanted to know, he cared for her and if she was upset he wanted to offer any help he could but he also needed to know if it had something to do with Katsu.

"Haruhi, is everything okay?" he questioned, hoping to gain some insight into why she sounded so down. It was much harder for him to decipher whether or not something was truly wrong with her as he couldn't see her. As a man of few words he relied heavily on his other senses to communicate and to gather information as well, his hearing was the only sense he could rely on now and if it wasn't deceiving him, something was wrong.

He heard the shaky expulsion of her breath, confirming that she truly was struggling with something.

"Tamaki came to the University to see me today…" she began before trailing off, unsure of how to continue. Was it acceptable to speak to a man that recently tried to kiss you about your ex-boyfriend troubles? Somehow she thought it wasn't really appropriate, however, Mori had provided her no insight into that encounter, nor had he ever brought that conversation up. As far as she knew, he had completely forgotten about it.

Still, Haruhi felt compelled to continue, Mori-senpai wouldn't have asked what was wrong with her unless he was truly interested in knowing and it might help her to cope with the recent situation if she spoke about it with someone else. Her senpai had always extended the courtesy to listen to her, however, she was reluctant to take him up on the offer. Since he was close-mouthed others had a tendency to take advantage of that and talk to him incessantly while he patiently listened for as long as she imagined he could tolerate until he finally excused himself.

She didn't want him to feel like he was obligated to listen to her troubles.

"Hn." He grunted as a reply that explained a lot. Mori knew that she had been avoiding her ex in recent months but that never tended to hinder his obtrusiveness. Tamaki was as dense as lead.

"He was so upset, I didn't realize that I was hurting him by not speaking to him. I never meant to… I was only trying to make things easier for him." She choked on the raw emotions that she had welling up inside of her. "I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I'm not so sure."

Mori's mouth twisted into a frown, he'd never heard Haruhi struggle in this way. He could plainly hear the doubt she was feeling but if he were in the same position, he wondered if he would have handled the situation in the same sort of manner.

"Do you still love him?" he asked, unable to hold the question back. He pushed down the surge of defeat that threatened to wash over him. He had no right to feel disappointed if she did still love the man, the two had been lovers at one point, it would not be strange if she still harbored feelings for him.

And yet, he still hoped she did not because that would only prove his theory that she was more suited to that type of man and for once he truly wished to be wrong.

However, he was genuinely interested in her answer no matter what it may be. Depending upon the reply he could give her some sort of guidance. No matter what her answer was, he would make sure he did his best to help her.

Haruhi was quiet for a long moment as she tried to hold back an outburst, she'd come to the definitive conclusion today that she was not still in love with Tamaki, though she did love him in some fashion, it was not romantic in nature.

"No." she finally said and for some reason the declaration made her feel better. If she truly didn't love Tamaki any longer there was no reason for her to feel so badly about this. Yes, she had hurt him but she'd never done so out of spite or distaste for the man. Tamaki was her first relationship, which in turn became her first breakup. She was not aware of the proper conduct that situation required as she had never experienced it before. This entire process had been a learning experience, a lesson in love. A lesson she was not sure she had excelled in but at least she had tried.

This afternoon, the two ex-lovers had said what they needed to the other, laid all their cards out on the table and because of that they both gained the closure that was imperative to the restructure of their friendship. Even though she'd caused him pain, Haruhi knew it would hurt him far worse if she were to continue on as if she did still love him. Sure, in some respects her life would be infinitely easier. She imagined a life of wealth and grandeur, a life where she would never again have to worry herself over the mundane, dishes and laundry would be a faded memory of the past but within that imaginary world she also knew that she would be dying. Slowly but surely her sense of self would be stripped away as she learned to be a proper lady, a woman of high society. She had no doubt that she would be pulled in all directions, expectations far beyond her comprehension would be thrust into her lap and she knew she would do her best to comply until she was nothing more than a shell of her former self and that was unfair for the both of them. She would be trapped in a marriage, a life that she never wanted and he would be trapped into loving a woman that resented him for taking it all away from her. He would continue to try to give her the world, never understanding why it wasn't enough. A tangled mess of deceit and lies on her part, she could not allow herself to be responsible for that. The entire scenario made Haruhi shudder and her stomach turned but it proved to harden her resolve, she had chosen the correct path, it had taken her longer to get there than necessary and she had caused damage along the way, but still she'd made it right again.

Haruhi didn't wish to deceive herself or Tamaki, they were better off as friends, not lovers. She would not jeopardize her dream or her happiness for another.

Mori let go of a breath he had not realized he was holding, relief coursed through his body in sweet release. For a moment he feared that he had overstepped his bounds with her, after all, she was not obliged to confide in him and his question had been rather... personal. It was rare that he ever asked her about her personal life but he was worried for her, he could tell something was amiss. Even so, when she had answered he knew he was pleased with her reply, a small part of him was ashamed that he was managing to take pleasure in someone else's pain, their anguish. He was taken aback by how strongly he was reacting to all of this. Love was an emotion that he had experienced before but not to this severe of a degree and he found himself becoming exceedingly leery of it because of the way it made him react to the simplest of things.

This emotion was an opponent that he did not know how to defend himself against.

"I see, then you have nothing more to worry about. You did what you thought was best and stayed true to yourself." was his response.

Mori heard the beep that indicated someone else was trying to call through, he removed the phone from his ear to see it was Mitsukuni. He'd forgotten to call him back once he spoke with Haruhi. He ignored the call so he could say his goodbyes to Haruhi, he would make sure to call his cousin back in a moment.

Haruhi wasn't really invested in their current topic of conversation as she felt her senpai did not really know how to respond, this was a very personal subject, so she decided to shift the attention back to him.

"Class just isn't the same without you there, Mori-senpai." she said, she debated on whether or not she should tell him about her achievement the day before but decided it wasn't really necessary. It would be nice if she could surprise him with something when he returned.

Mori smiled in spite of himself. Though she didn't exactly say it, it almost sounded as if she were trying to say that she missed him in a roundabout sort of way and it made him happy. He wanted to ask her what she'd learned and more specifically who had taught her but his other line was ringing again and he knew he needed to answer it before Mitsukuni had a panic attack.

"I have to go, Haruhi." he said rather reluctantly.

"Oh, that's okay, I understand. You must be busy." she almost began to apologize for calling and bothering him before she remembered that he had been the one to call her. "Good luck, Mori-senpai, I'll talk to you later."

"Aa."

Mori ended his call to Haruhi, and switched lines.

"Takashiiiiiiiiiiiii!" he wailed, clearly distressed and nearing hysterics, "Where is Haru-chan? Is she alright?"

"Mitsukuni," he said, effectively bringing the smaller mans tantrum to a halt. "She's fine. She was at home, Tamaki came to the University, that's why she was not in class." he relayed the information he'd gathered.

"Eh? Tama-chan came to the University?" he said, seeming to have recovered from his outburst. He was clearly surprised by that development. "I'll bet she wasn't happy about that."

"Hm." the stoic man hummed in agreement, he didn't really wish to continue discussing this topic.

"Okay, Takashi. Now that I know our precious Haru-chan is safe, I'm going to go now, I know you need your rest. I promise to take good care of her while you're gone!"

Mori heard the soft sound of his cousin's laughter before the call ended and he smiled to himself. He hoped Haruhi would be alright, she'd sounded so dejected...

The young man placed his phone back on the bedside table and finally donned the clothing that he pulled out long ago. He reddened as the knowledge that he'd had an entire conversation with Haruhi while he was practically naked sunk in, he shook his head, banishing any unsavory thoughts and readied himself for bed.

He brushed his teeth vigorously and thoroughly with his favorite cinnamon toothpaste. He'd always been meticulous when it came to his teeth, mainly because he was always reminding Mitsukuni to brush his own when they were children, he made sure to set a good example for his sweets addicted cousin. If he couldn't stop Mitsukuni from over consuming the treats, the least he could do was make sure his teeth didn't rot out of his head as a result.

His task complete he pulled back the sheets on the hotel bed and slipped between them. Mori fluffed the pillows several times before finally laying his head to rest upon them, he closed his eyes.

After a few moments he turned to lie on his stomach, finding the position on his back to be unsatisfactory. He moved his arms to rest beneath the pillow and closed his eyes again.

Several more minutes passed and he was still unable to achieve a comfortable position. He became agitated, his body was exhausted, his muscles ached and he just wanted to sleep but it seemed his mind was not on the same track. He sat straight up in his bed, contemplating his problem and searching for a possible remedy.

His face. He had forgotten to wash his face, which had to be the reason he couldn't seem to fall asleep. He was, if nothing else, a creature of habit and this was the only abnormal factor in his evening routine.

Mori pushed himself up out of bed and moved to his bags. He sighed, he searched through them once more just to be sure.

His housemaids had forgotten to pack his face wash. He would just have to call the front desk and use whatever brand they had handy for the evening. It was too late to venture out and purchase some, besides, all of the drug stores were closed at this hour.

After making a call to the concierge, he received a small, complimentary bottle of facial cleanser. In the bathroom he ran the hot water until it was to his desired temperature, he squeezed a decent amount of the liquid into his hand before rubbing it on his face, a rich lather forming. It smelled nice... familiar. He rinsed and dried his face, feeling refreshed.

He returned to his bed to attempt sleep once again and this time it seemed to take, his body relaxed into the soft mattress. The completion of his evening routine seemed to lull him, his eyes slid closed and he soon fell into a restful sleep. But what the tall youth didn't realize, what he did not consciously register was that the provided face wash held the distinct, comforting scent of cherry blossoms.

The scent of Haruhi.

* * *

Haruhi awoke the next afternoon, her eyes stung, she blinked several times to try to dislodge the sleep from them. She shuffled her way to the bathroom, she had no classes today so she planned to take a long soak in the tub then she would curl up on her couch and prepare study notes for her law class. Her midterm was rapidly approaching and she was not nearly as confident as she should be about taking her exam.

Haruhi didn't feel very well this morning, her head hurt, her eyes hurt, her throat hurt, everything hurt. The skin around her brown orbs was red and puffy, her muscles were still sore from the last judo class she had attended. All in all, she felt horrible. She rubbed at her temples in an attempt to soothe the ache. Throwing open the medicine cabinet she took some aspirin. The girl prayed that the effects of the medication would take place soon, she did not know how long she could bear the pain.

She ran the hot water in the tub, fiddling with the knobs a few times until she was happy with the temperature. She shook a handful of bath salts into the water and smiled to herself as the clean scent began to fill the room. This would be just what she needed, she wanted to clean herself, rid herself of the difficulties of the previous day.

Yesterday, she truly said goodbye to Tamaki as a lover. Though she had ended their relationship months before, the two had never received any closure and unwittingly she hurt him because of it. She resolved to be more aware of his feelings in the future. He was an outstanding friend and someone she did enjoy very much but she never wanted to lead him on. Yesterday afternoon and all through the night she had mourned the loss of her first love, the finality of the situation finally brought forth the tears she knew she should have shed long ago.

As soon as the tub was filled she shed her night clothes and sank down into the hot inviting water. She let out a long sigh, feeling like the water was already going about its task of ridding her of her foul mood.

Her mind flashed back to the very strange phone call she had received the evening before and the conversation that followed. After Tamaki had left she parked herself on her bed and cried for what seemed like hours. She grieved over the loss of her first love, she lamented the harm she had done to that man, she was angry that she could not be a better woman and love him the way he deserved but she knew it was an impossibility. Just as she was finishing with her latest bout of sobs her phone had rung, not knowing who would be calling she flipped it open before checking to see who it was. At first, when she had heard that deep, strong voice on the other end of the line she thought she was hallucinating, that her mind was conjuring up that familiar sound just to torment her, but when she'd asked he had replied that it was indeed, Morinozuka Takashi on the other line. Her heart seemed to break all over again. Not because she wasn't happy to hear from him but because without knowing it, he managed to show up when she was at her weakest, her most vulnerable and would undoubtedly try to comfort her and for that she hated him. Even so, she could not deny the relief she felt upon hearing the cool, composed tenor of his voice. It seemed she would never be allowed to even attempt to be strong on her own.

The conversation had started off light enough just exchanging pleasantries. She was pleased to hear that everything seemed to be going well for him in Tokyo and she prayed that he would find success there. He deserved it, no one was as dedicated as Mori-senpai. He seemed amused when she told him about the bento and the conversation was doing a fantastic job of lightening her dark mood but of course, he had noticed. Whether it was her voice that gave her away or something she said she may never know but he asked what was wrong. She knew she could have lied, said she had watched a sad movie or read a rather emotional book but Mori-sempai was not stupid. She could not easily deceive him the way she could with Tamaki. He could sense if she lied and she _**knew**_it. So, for the sake of maintaining her integrity, she relayed the information about Tamaki, which she felt almost uncomfortable sharing. It wasn't often that Mori-senpai asked about her personal life, if at all and then he had asked her a question she never would have anticipated.

He had questioned if she still loved Tamaki. Why he would ask something so bold was beyond her scope of understanding. What purpose would it serve for him to know? Was there a hidden motivation behind the inquiry that she was not privy to? Or was she just getting ahead of herself? Still, even though she did not necessarily feel that his question was acceptable she felt compelled to answer anyway. When she said no, she felt a large weight seem to lift off her chest, the heaviness of grief seemed to dissipate and she wondered if he had known all along that this would happen. She was almost saddened when their conversation had to come to an end but she was happy he had called, she felt better than she had all afternoon.

Haruhi stared at the far wall of her bathroom.

Mori-senpai.

What did he think of her?

She knew how she regarded him and she was well aware of how she felt about him. She felt her cheeks begin to burn as she recalled that evening not so long ago, where she stood in his arms in her own kitchen. Where she had felt his lips so very close to her own, just shy of touching. The memory made heat flare violently within her body and she shivered against the reaction. She was becoming accustomed to her body's response whenever she recalled that fateful evening and she was fairly certain that she could name it now as well, though she didn't dare to. Haruhi was never able to ask him what he had been thinking that night, why he had tried to kiss her. She felt she had the right to know but even so, she wasn't sure she wanted to hear his answer because she knew it was impossible that he could have feelings for her. So what did that leave? Morbid curiosity? Was it just her proximity to him at the time that made him lose his focus? She frowned, there was no way for her to be sure. She wanted to ask, to gain some awareness but she did not know when the right time for that would be.

She scrubbed herself clean before rinsing herself off and stepping out of the tub. She toweled herself dry, feeling revitalized, her energy returned and she felt at ease for the first time since Tamaki had contacted her the day before. After dressing she gathered her text books for her law class and made herself comfortable on her couch. The afternoon was going to be long but she knew once she was more comfortable with this legal jargon the easier it would be for her to relax.

Two hours into her intense study session her phone rang, she squinted at the display on her phone, the swift change from the text in her book to the digital display hurt her eyes. It was an unknown number. She ignored the call, if it was important the person would leave a message but she knew chances were good that it was probably a solicitation. She returned to her text book, her pen scratching furiously across the page of her notebook. The small woman was taking the most immaculate notes this world had ever seen, ones that she knew she would get all too familiar with in the coming week. She needed to do well on this midterm but more than that she wanted to learn this information. It would be vital to her achieving the goal she'd set for herself, her dream.

Her phone chimed from the place she had left it. Her eyebrows came together on her forehead in confusion. Whoever had called earlier had left a message. Placing the phone at her ear she dialed the password, then pressed one. The recording began:

"Hey, Fujioka. It's Katsu. I didn't hear back from you yesterday and I know you don't have class this afternoon, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You seemed sort of bothered by that Suou guy. Anyway, call me back if you get a chance, I want to see when you'll be available to make up the class you missed yesterday."

The girls brown eyes widened. How did he get her phone number? She assumed that the instructors for every class probably had a register of all the student's names and telephone numbers on them. These past two days had just been full of surprises. First Tamaki's unceremonious reappearance into her life, then Mori-senpai's phone call and finally this from Katsu. For now she wouldn't return the call, she was on a roll as far as her notes were concerned and those took higher priority. She couldn't afford to break her stride now.

Flipping the page, the girl continued on with her task well into the evening.

* * *

Katsu's teeth ground together in his head absently as he looked at his phone once again. Why wasn't she calling back? Who did she think she was, making someone wait around like this?

He grumbled to himself. He wanted her to call back... he had plans that could not be put into effect until she did. In truth, he wasn't really trying to arrange for a way she could make up for her absence he just wanted to ask her the question he'd tried to pose yesterday afternoon.

He drummed his fingers on the tabletop absently. He was sitting in the coffee shop just a few blocks down from the University nursing a cappuccino. He had finished with his last class of the day and was just wasting time before he was due to meet with his father at a local restaurant later in the evening.

He scoffed at the title. His "father" was a cold man who was rarely around when he was growing up, he often thought the only reason he had married his mother was so he could produce an heir, nothing more. Love was a completely foreign concept to that man. Upon reaching adolescence his father had finally begun to show an interest in his only son, which at first had delighted the youth but it soon became clear he was not trying to become more involved with his sons life, rather that he was trying to control the direction in which it went. His father was the catalyst for his involvement with kendo and later judo, which didn't prove to be too much of a dilemma because he enjoyed and excelled at it. Katsu couldn't be too sure but he felt his father was proud of the progress he made and the skill he portrayed, though he knew he wouldn't be completely satisfied until he won a championship. It would serve as proof of Katsu's superiority over his peers. He thought it would be nice if he could gain some form of approval from his stone faced progenitor. He could have achieved that by now if it wasn't for that damn mute, Morinozuka.

He scowled, he was in no mood to deal with the old man this evening. His scheme to spend some time alone with Fujioka had been thwarted once before. If she would just return his damn phone call he could set this into action. Katsu took a deep, cleansing breath, reminding himself that he needed to be patient and that this was only phase one of his operation. With any luck, he might even gain Fujioka as a prize but he needed to play his cards right, to continue to portray the good guy so she would favor him over Morinozuka.

One way or another, in one facet or another he would surpass that man. Whether it was in martial arts or personal affairs remained to be seen. Though Katsu was sure neither party had confided in the other, it was plain to see that they were attracted to one another. The way Fujioka blushed whenever her sensei wrapped his arms around her in an attempt to execute a throw and the way Morinozuka's eyes followed her every move, even when he was instructing other students made their feelings blatantly obvious to anyone that bothered to look. Katsu felt beating Morinozuka in kendo would be pleasant but it was near impossible to do. The man was a virtuoso in the art of kendo. It seemed surpassing him in his personal endeavors would be far more satisfying and it would be something he could actually achieve. The handsome young man grinned to himself.

"Excuse me, sir? Is there anything else I can do for you today?" a young blonde girl asked him, her eyelids fluttering, shamelessly flirting. It was not lost on Katsu the suggestion that hung heavily on the last question, either.

A sly smirk settled on his face as he appraised the girl, she was attractive enough but a bit too young for his taste.

Still, she could prove to be a little fun.

He scribbled several characters on his napkin and slid it across the table to her. "No, thank you." He managed to say politely enough, he rose from his place at the table. As the young lady moved to retrieve the paper he leaned close to her, his warm breath ghosting across the shell of her ear. "If you aren't busy later, give me a call." He whispered and one would have to be dead to not recognize the seductive tone of his cool voice. The young woman trembled and she turned to the door, their eyes caught for just a moment before the man walked out the door and down the street. The girl clutched the paper to her chest, trying to catch her breath. She looked down and recognized very quickly that it was a phone number. A satisfied smile broke across her face.  
_  
__'Finally! I can bag one of those rich bastards that goes to Ouran.'_she thought to herself.

A smug smile broke across the young man's face as he continued on towards the scheduled meeting place.  
_  
__'Some girls are so easy.'_He thought to himself.

* * *

Haruhi's cheeks puffed as she let out a long, exaggerated breath. Six hours. Six whole hours and finally she had the most beautiful, painstaking notes she had ever created. It was a thing of beauty, she thought. Maybe not another person's idea of beauty but for her it was.

She stretched her limbs, reveling in the delicious pull of her muscles. The young woman knew she had spent way too much time being sedentary this afternoon. As she moved around her stomach grumbled loudly, a clear protest to the attention, or lack thereof that it received today. She had only munched on a few crackers while wildly running through her notes and now her hunger was making itself known.

She rifled through both her fridge and her cabinets, searching for some remedy, however, her search was fruitless. Haruhi really needed to make a trip to the supermarket, she could not procrastinate any longer. She slipped on a light, hooded sweatshirt and pair of jeans, her hair was in a lazy messy bun on the top of her head. She pulled at one of the loose strands. Haruhi was really considering cutting it off again, this was too much of a hassle. Today she wore her grandfather's glasses. Since her departure from Ouran Academy and the host club her style and appearance, much to the chagrin of the other members, had gone downhill, reverting back to the genderless and fashion challenged style she'd had before. She paid no mind to their vocal protests, easily ignoring them. Personally she was relieved that she no longer had to worry or fuss over the way she looked. Only when she attended class did she even attempt to make herself halfway presentable and even then it was a far cry from the primping she'd been forced to do through her years as a host. She fiddled with the glasses on her face, sometimes it felt strange to wear them. She had grown accustomed to wearing her contacts. Haruhi had gotten the spectacles repaired after her incident jumping through Tamaki's window. She smiled as she recalled that brazen action. Before that moment she never knew she could be so brave.

What she was able to remember now, very clearly, that she didn't register at the time, was how she achieved that. None other than Mori-senpai had gathered her in his arms and launched himself, with the help of Honey-kun, through the window. He'd shielded her with his own body as they broke through, shattered glass scattering in every direction, some shards managing to pierce his skin. She remembered the small, seemingly unnecessary precautions he had taken into account like telling her to close her mouth and taking off her glasses. He had known there would be the risk of them breaking, which they did. Had she been wearing them she very well could have damaged her eyes, he had protected her from that possibility.

He had shed his blood for her.

She let go of a shaky breath. How could she have forgotten his kindness? He'd risked his own body, his own safety and well being to ensure she would reach her destination safely, that she would reach Tamaki safely. Her heart clenched in her chest, he had done that all for the sake of his friends, not only that, he had done so for the sake of her love. Her heart ached when she thought of him and she wasn't sure why.

She recalled how many times she had been taken into her arms and she was irritated to realize that she had taken those moments for granted because now she would do just about anything to return there.

Shaken to her core by yet another revelation concerning her senpai, she made a conscious effort to continue on with her task. She slid her shoes onto her feet, one at a time. Before leaving she did a spot check, keys, phone, purse, and wallet. They were all there, she was ready to head out. The young woman switched off all the lights before walking out and locking the door behind her.

The walk to the super market was short and familiar so she wasn't worried that the sun was rapidly descending in the sky, street lamps were already beginning to illuminate the road ahead of her. She heard several mothers calling to their children to come in for the night and she heard the grumbled responses. She giggled quietly to herself, they may moan and complain now, wish that their mother's would just disappear so they could have more time to play. A childish wish, one that she knew the devastating reality of and there was nothing she would not give to have her mother around just one more time, even if it were just to chastise her. It would be worth it to hear her voice and look upon her beautiful face.

Haruhi walked through the automatic doors of her local supermarket and scooped up a basket in her arms. She had been in such a hurry to leave the house that she never bothered to compile a shopping list, she would just have to improvise.

She looked through the fresh produce that was available, selecting the finest specimens she could find. She was pleased to see that spring fruits and vegetables had made their way to the store, proof that warmer weather was on the way. She ended up with several beautiful green bell peppers, a head of cabbage, several onions and some broccoli. This was enough to construct at least a few meals until she could find time to make a proper grocery run. She shuffled her way to the back of the market where the meat was housed in coolers. She noted that beef was on sale, her eyes lit up as she looked upon the display. Being the bargain shopper she was, this was too good of a deal to pass up. She bought two pounds, she could use one pound for several different meals and the other she would freeze to use at a later date. Practically glowing with elation she made her way to the front to pay for her acquisitions.

The elderly cashier smiled at Haruhi, despite her quirky appearance. She had grown accustomed to the eccentric young woman, Haruhi had frequented this market very often in her childhood and teenage years, gathering groceries for her father and herself. During that time, the cashier had learned that she lost her mother at a very early age, which explained quite a bit of her personal quirks.

"How are you Haruhi, dear?" the older woman asked.

"I'm doing well, Hanako-san." Haruhi said, pleased that the old woman remembered her every time she entered the store. During her youth, Hanako-san often kept an eye on her while she was in the market, making sure she stayed away from any suspicious characters and making sure she completed her list. "Have you been well?"

The older woman waved a wrinkled hand in front of her face in a dismissive gesture.

"As well as an old woman like me can be. I'm not dead yet so that counts for something!" she laughed to herself as she continued to scan and bag the groceries.

Haruhi smiled, though she wished Hanako-san wouldn't speak that way. She may have been old but she was still full of vitality, she was plenty spirited.

The bespectacled young woman paid for her food and bid her friend a good evening.

She exited the establishment, noting that the sky had completely darkened during her time in the market. She moved quickly, the streets had all but emptied out and she passed hardly anyone along the way. A few blocks from her house she heard footsteps sound behind her. Haruhi tried to ignore them, convinced there was no way that anyone could possibly be trailing her but every time she increased her pace the footsteps would do the same. She began to panic, she was debating on whether she should just drop her bags and run when a hand settled on her shoulder.

She screamed before she grabbed the appendage firmly and doubled over, using her attackers weight as leverage she threw him over her shoulder and onto the ground where he landed with a muffled thud.

"Ow, Fujioka do you really think all that was necessary?" an injured Katsu mumbled from his placed on the ground.

Haruhi's hands moved to her mouth in shock, her eyes wide. She could hardly believe that she had pulled that off. Mori-senpai had shown her that throw several times, had her practice it over and over, not once had she been able to pull it off so successfully but somehow this time she had. Perhaps the adrenaline coursing through her body had something to do with it?

"Katsu! Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, I didn't know!"

He laughed quietly as he pushed himself up off the sidewalk. "It's okay, I shouldn't have snuck up on you."

Haruhi was moderately relieved that he wasn't seriously injured but she did have to admit she wouldn't have been sorely upset if that had been the case. He had snuck up on her after all, he deserved it.

"What are you doing here anyway?" she inquired. She knew he didn't venture out this late in the evening just to shadow her movements through the streets.

Katsu brushed off his clothing, ridding himself from the various articles he'd picked up from his brief time on the ground. He cradled his wrist in his opposite hand, it had twisted a bit on impact but there was no other damage. Honestly, he was surprised she had managed to throw him but he didn't have his guard up, had he been prepared he easily could have maneuvered out of that position. Perhaps she had been paying closer attention to her lessons with Morinozuka than he previously believed.

"I had dinner with my father this evening at a place right down the street. I was walking out to my car when I noticed you walking by. What are you doing out so late?" he questioned, it was then that he noticed the scattered articles about him. "Grocery shopping?"

She nodded, "I had absolutely nothing in the house so I had to go out."

"I'm sorry, I made you drop all of this." He began placing her groceries back in their bags.

His task complete the young man looked her up and down, from head to toe. "Wow, you really must be starving. You didn't even have time to put yourself together before you went out."

Haruhi flushed violently, a mixture of anger and pure embarrassment washed over her entire being. Usually, she didn't care how others perceived her but coming from someone like Katsu it upset her. If she had known she would run into him maybe her choice of clothing would have been a smidge more appropriate, though she doubted it.

"I look just fine! Damn you rich bastards, all you care about are looks and money." she grumbled, gathering her bags in her hands once again before adding "Good grief, I'm going home."

The small woman made her way past her classmate, intending to make a quick entrance but Haruhi was notoriously slow, so it only looked as if she were moving at her normal pace.

"Wait, Fujioka" he reached out and grabbed her forearm, halting any further retreat. "I didn't mean it to come out like that, you look fine!"

Haruhi glared back at him for a moment before she calmed down "Well, whatever you meant, it doesn't matter. I'm going home. I'll see you in class tomorrow, Katsu."

"Aw come on, Fujioka! I'm sorry, look... can I at least give you a ride home? Or walk you there? It's late and it's dark, what if you meet another creep who isn't me?" he said, and a very small, miniscule part of him was guilty because he knew he was probably one of the worst people she could be around right now, but no, he couldn't allow his resolve to be shaken.

Not now, not by her. He needed her for no other purpose than to get to Morinozuka. That was all.

Haruhi mulled the idea over for a moment, she did not necessarily dislike Katsu's company and he did owe her since he snuck up on her earlier.

"I suppose that's alright. You can walk with me." she conceded.

Katsu smiled, a brilliant expression that lit up his whole face, his eyes included. "Great! Here, I'll carry your bags." He took them without waiting for a response and walked beside her as she led the way to her home.

They walked in silence for a moment, Haruhi contemplated her newest companion. He seemed pleasant enough but she frowned as she realized she did not know the first thing about him, yet he was willing to do her the courtesy of walking her home and even carrying her bags. She frowned at how ungrateful she always seemed to be.

She wanted to know more about him, this man that Mori-senpai had deemed talented enough to assist him in the dojo. "Katsu? How did you and Mori-senpai meet?" she questioned.

It took every ounce of self control Katsu possessed not to grimace at her question. Why would she want to talk about that guy? He wasn't even here!

"Well, we sort of started out as rivals I guess you could say. Until I went to Ouran Academy we were always on opposing teams, once I started at Ouran our sensei always put us against each other. I have faced him a few times in kendo matches but his skill far surpasses mine. I've never been able to beat him." he said out loud, though to himself he thought his luck might soon take a turn for the better, especially if things went well with Fujioka.

"Really? Mori-senpai has been the kendo champion for several years running but I wouldn't let that discourage you. I have heard you are quite good as well, Katsu. He would not have chosen you to be an instructor if he did not believe you were talented enough."

Katsu was surprised when his heartbeat increased at her awkward praise, people were always complimenting him on his skill and he'd never reacted that way before.

He shook his head, "I guess I am but I will never be as good as Morinozuka. It would be nice if I could exceed him just once..."

Haruhi gave the man beside her a sidelong glance, he sounded so wistful. She knew it must be hard, always coming in second to someone and more often than not she imagined people pointed out that fact to him. The situation sounded very similar to that of her friend, Kyoya. For most of his life, he was compared to his brothers and their achievements but it only served to fuel his drive to surpass them and he had in so many ways, he had affirmed his brilliance to anyone that had ever doubted him.

She was not sure if Katsu would be able to do the same, she didn't know the man outside of the dojo. Mori-senpai was outstanding, she could not imagine anyone being talented enough to beat him in any sort of physical challenge so long as he wasn't unnecessarily distracted. She assumed this might be a hard topic to discuss for him so she tried to switch gears, "Do you have any siblings, Katsu?"

"No, I'm an only child. I think my father only allotted enough time for my mother to produce an heir, he wasn't around very much when I was growing up."

She frowned, "I'm an only child too. A few times when I was younger I thought it might be fun to have a younger brother or sister but I don't think I would have made a good sibling..."

Katsu laughed loudly at this statement, "What? Why not? I think you would have done just fine, I mean, you were able to handle the host club guys pretty well and they're all practically children. A sibling would have been no sweat for you."

This time Haruhi laughed, she had never thought of it in that way but it was true, the host club had been like a crash course in handling children.

The conversation continued for several minutes longer until finally the pair reached Haruhi's apartment complex.

"This is my place, I think I can handle it from here." she said, holding out her hands to retrieve her bags.

Katsu suppressed the scowl that threatened to appear at the sight of her living conditions. So meager and common but he did not voice aloud his concerns. He placed her groceries back into her small hands, his fingers brushed against hers in the process. She had very soft skin, he noted. His eyes caught hers as he went to say his goodbyes and even though she did not look her best this evening, he still thought Haruhi was very beautiful. She had an innocent quality about her that appealed greatly to him.

"Fujioka, did you happen to get my voicemail this afternoon?" he asked rather awkwardly, "I just wanted to make sure you were alright after what happened yesterday…"

She blushed, embarrassed because she had completely forgotten to return his call.

"I did, thank you. I'm sorry I was busy studying for my midterm exams so I did not get a chance to call you back. I'm sorry."

Haruhi bowed in apology but stopped as the boy caught her chin. He raised her back up to her full height to face him.

"It's alright, no need to be so apologetic but now that I have your attention I wanted to ask you something."

Haruhi nodded, unable to form a response. She was trying, with some difficulty, to ignore how large and warm his hand was.

He grinned, Katsu could see very clearly the way her cheeks darkened. A response from his touch he would venture to guess. He released her, albeit grudgingly.

"This weekend, I was going to a foreign film festival with my friend but he bailed on me. I was wondering if maybe you might want to accompany me? I already have the tickets." he stated very confidently even as his hands shook by his side. He was startled that he was so nervous, this was all part of his plan, nothing more. It was not a real date.

Haruhi was taken aback by her senpai's request. She was completely astonished and for a moment she was stunned into silence. She noticed that Katsu was fidgeting, that seemed to bring her out of her stupor for a moment. Was he asking her on a date? She never would have guessed that Katsu was interested in her at all. She was very interested in foreign film, often times those were the ones she favored. Throughout her relationship with Tamaki, he had introduced her to several French classics that she adored. Still, she was going to decline until she remembered that she needed to start making an effort to be more grateful to others. Haruhi felt obligated to say yes, she was after all indebted to him. Katsu had taken the time to continue teaching her martial arts, he excused her from class the day before and this evening had even accompanied her home, carried her bags for her. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment. It might not be so bad, Katsu was nice enough. He was polite, attractive and charming. They had a little in common and she was intrigued to think that they may possibly have more in common than what she learned this evening.

"Alright." She agreed and even though she was not completely sold on the idea, she was not displeased with the idea of spending more time with him. Besides, he never did say it was a date so she shouldn't treat it as such.

"Really? Excellent! The matinee starts at 1:00 on Saturday so I will come by and pick you up around 12:30. Will that work for you?"

"Yes, that's fine." That would give her ample time to put herself together. After his comment this evening she wanted to make sure she looked presentable. She hated that the affluent people she knew looked at "commoners" such as her self the way they did.

"Fantastic, well I will let you get on with your evening. Will you be in class tomorrow?"

She nodded her head in the affirmative, "Yes, I'll see you then."

Katsu shared another dazzling smile before he turned to leave, Haruhi watched him as he walked. He turned around one more time and waved before he disappeared around the corner to head down the block, back to his waiting car.

Haruhi turned and trudged up the stairs to her apartment, once inside she put away her groceries. She set out an onion, green pepper, and some of the beef she had. She could make a quick pepper steak stir fry for dinner, that should suffice. She chopped her ingredients mechanically, trying not to think of Katsu. He really had caught her off guard, she never would have guessed that he would be interested in a commoner such as herself but he seemed rather grounded considering the others that attended Ouran University. She wondered how she never noticed him before while in high school, she knew he went to the Academy as well but she could not remember ever seeing him, not that she really ever had time to meet anyone outside of host club activities. Those men monopolized all of her free time. She mused over what he had said about Mori-senpai, that they were once rivals. She wondered if Mori-senpai felt the same way about Katsu.

Did he view him as an adversary?

She was curious to know though she couldn't imagine he did think that way.

When her meal was prepared she sat and ate slowly, though she didn't pay much attention to the flavor of the food, her mind far too preoccupied. Was this considered a date? He had not addressed it as such so she assumed not. Regardless, what should she wear?

She frowned, she hoped he wasn't regarding this as a date, she was not interested in anyone except Mori-senpai, possible the most unattainable man she knew. Her frown deepened as she quickly realized she owned nothing that would be appropriate enough for a film festival, she was sure that it would be a high class event. Haruhi feared she may even have to ask the twins for advice.

She shook, that was a scary thought indeed.

* * *

A lot of thoughts are bouncing around in Haruhi and Mori's heads, if only they would just TALK to each other about it. Oh well, I suppose we will have to wait just a little bit longer. I know all of you are probably longing for a reunion of these two and I have to say, so am I. I cannot promise that it will take place in the next chapter but it will be very, very soon. I can't stand to keep them apart much longer!

Katsu's unsavory intentions are becoming a little clearer even as his resolve seems to be wavering just slightly. It will be interesting to see how things pan out with this young man. As of right now I'm still undecided about where I will take him but I don't think he will ever be a proverbial nice guy but he may not be as big of a creep as we've all been made to believe.

Thank you for reading. Seeing the amount of traffic I get on my stories makes my day so much brighter. Please leave me a review, let me know what you think! I love hearing from you!


	11. Chapter 11

I'm back! Phew, these chapters are getting longer and more difficult to produce but I absolutely writing this story. The other members of the host club make an appearance in this chapter to help out their favorite gender challenged female friend only to back track once they find out why she needed their assistance. There is slight suggestion of another possible pairing in this chapter though I have not made a definitive decision on it, personally, they're one of my favorites. Their is also just a slight hint of jealousy and longing, all in all I feel like this is a rather rounded chapter. You decide!

* * *

**_CHAPTER 11_**

**_Decisions_**

Honey watched the world pass by in a blur as he sat in the back of his car which was currently making its way towards the University. He knew he could have walked, he did not live far from the campus but without Takashi he found it less than pleasurable. Honey was anxious to see Haruhi, yesterday he had been unable to pay her a visit but they had judo together this afternoon and he knew from Takashi that she was fine. He wondered what she and Takashi had talked about, they were on the phone for quite some time which prompted a near nervous breakdown for him as a consequence. He wanted to know but he did not want to pry, especially considering they probably talked about Tama-chan, which was a touchy subject for Haruhi. Still, Takashi was not one to have conversations with anyone let alone over the phone but they had somehow found something to speak about.

As his driver pulled up to the entrance of the University he stepped out into the early spring air, there was a bit more of a chill to the morning today than the day before but it was still incredibly pleasant. Honey was eager for the weekend to arrive, he was planning to attend Takashi's tournament to offer his support. He was going to ask Haruhi if she would like to go as well, he even considered inviting the rest of their haphazard group of friends but as of yet had not made a definitive decision in that respect.

"Honey-senpai."

Honey whirled around at the sound of his name and the cool familiar voice that had uttered it, "Kyo-chan!" his face lit up at the sight of his friend.

Kyoya smiled at the familiar nickname his senpai had adopted for him long ago. "It has been quite some time. How are you?" he asked.

"Good! Business studies are going well and I'm spending lots of time with Takashi and Haru-chan. Did you hear? Takashi and the kendo team are competing in the nationals!" he relayed his happy news.

"I did. Will you go to Tokyo to watch him compete?"

"Of course! Would you like to come, Kyo-chan? I'm thinking of asking everyone."

Kyoya considered for a moment before answering, "Possibly, if I have no further assignments or obligations I believe I can make it."

Honey cheered, delighted by the prospect of Kyoya attending, it would be lovely to have everyone together like they used to be. Honey reminisced often about his time with the host club, so many happy memories, so much fun and so many cakes!

"I'm sure Tamaki would love to go as well. Will Haruhi be joining you?" he added as an afterthought.

"I haven't asked her yet but I'm sure she will want to come. Kyo-chan, did you know that Tama-chan came to the University the other day to see Haru-chan?" Honey asked, a faint trace of curiosity laced his tone. He wondered if Tamaki's appearance may have been due to some prompting from his best friend.

Kyoya's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "No, I did not. I wondered where that bumbling fool had gone off to." he thought for a long moment, "Now that I think of it, I have not seen that idiot since Tuesday afternoon." He adjusted his glasses, a defense mechanism he had picked up many years ago. Kyoya had been unaware of Tamaki and Haruhi's confrontation and he was now worried for his best friend's mental stability. Tamaki was not well equipped to cope with several things, rejection being one of them. He would have to track him down after his class this afternoon, much to his dismay, to make sure he had done nothing irrational.

"I think she was upset but I'm not sure. I didn't talk to her, Takashi did."

To this, Kyoya showed no outward expression though he found that information incredibly surprising. He wondered if the two were becoming closer, Haruhi had always seemed rather fond of the gentle giant, if for no other reason than his quiet nature seemed to counter balance the other, more abrasive members of their club. As far as compatibility went, he felt they would be a perfect match. He was interested to see what sort of development, if any, this new information may produce.

The first bell chimed, indicating there was little time before classes were to begin. The two friends bid each other good day before excusing themselves, heading to their respective buildings.

* * *

Haruhi shuffled her notes furiously, shoving them haphazardly into her bag.

'_Damn.'_ She thought, _'I'm going to be late… again.'_

She ran towards the dojo, feeling tense. Haruhi knew Mori-senpai would not be there to chastise her tardiness so she was unsure why she seemed so anxious to get to class on time.

Once inside the locker room she dressed as quickly as she could manage. Her heart was beating wildly and she felt like she was covered in a cold sweat. She was worried that she may be coming down with something. She shoved the feeling to the side as she entered the dojo, everyone looked up at her, though no one seemed surprised that she was late.

Several of the men greeted her warmly, most members of the club seemed to enjoy her presence in class while a few others were indifferent. They could not waste their time with the commoner that their sensei seemed to fancy but they were never rude or disrespectful to her. Instead they chose to keep their distance and focused on their own training.

"Haruhi, are you okay? You weren't in class the other day, we were all really worried." One of her classmates asked, one of the first people that had ever asked her for a date when she was revealed to be female. She liked him very much and he never treated her differently even after her gentle rejection.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just had a personal matter to take care of." She smiled warmly at him. She was touched by his concern.

The boy blushed in response, pleased that she was alright.

"Haru-chan! Haru-chan! I missed you!" Honey yelled before he launched himself at his friend, he fastened his arms around her torso and hugged her fiercely.

Haruhi stumbled a bit but managed to regain her footing before she toppled to the ground.

"It's only been a day Honey-kun." She stated.

He smiled up at her, "I know but Haru-chan is one of my favorite people. I want to see you every day!"

Haruhi scowled at the idea, she was not sure she could manage any of her friends every single day… except maybe Mori-senpai. She blushed as she registered her thoughts; she pried the candy fiend from her person before taking her place beside him, awaiting the start of the class. She did not know how but one way or another she succeeded in being on time.

All the clubs members assumed the correct position and just moments later Katsu arrived, ready to get down to business. He immediately relayed the lesson for the day and everyone set about their practice. Honey and Haruhi headed off to the corner where they always conducted her instruction for the day.

"Is there anything special you wanted to work on today Haruhi? I was thinking maybe we could work on joint locks today. Those are fun!" he enthused.

Haruhi didn't seem nearly as excited, "That sounds dangerous… and painful."

Katsu laughed from his place behind her, he had walked up as they were talking.

"They can be but that is sort of the point. The entire idea is to force your opponent to submit and those are one of the fastest, most effective ways to do so."

Haruhi averted her eyes from his face when he made eye contact. For some reason she did not seem to be able to hold his gaze.

"Good afternoon, Katsu-chan!" Honey greeted but did not look in the other mans direction.

"Hello, Haninozuka-senpai." Katsu returned politely. "Fujioka, would you like my assistance today? It seems like the rest of the class will be fine on their own. I could show you some grappling if you would like. It's a little different from joint locks."

"Grappling?" she questioned. She wasn't sure exactly what that entailed but it certainly sounded a little less painful.

"No, no Haru-chan, you don't want to do that. You have to roll around on the floor, it's like wrestling. Not to mention the choke holds you would have to learn. I don't think you would like that." Honey countered, quickly shooting down Katsu's suggestion and his offered assistance. Haruhi worked with Takashi and he, no one else. Haruhi did not need Katsu's assistance as well.

Haruhi grimaced, "No, that doesn't sound very appealing…" She sighed in defeat, it didn't sound like she would find anything agreeable today.

Katsu recovered easily, not at all deterred. "We don't have to learn those today, they are too advanced for a beginner but it would be helpful to know how to defend yourself if you were ever forced to the ground by anyone." He offered, knowing the details of her incident last year. "That position can be very compromising and grappling is a great way to turn the tables on your opponent."

Haruhi shuddered violently, remembering all too well how she had once been forced into that position, how thoroughly helpless she had felt. She never wanted to feel that way again, she never wanted to experience that despair ever again.

She could do that, she resolved. She desired being stronger, she wanted to be able to defend herself should the need arise. She could not rely on others, namely Mori-senpai for the rest of her life. One day he would meet someone he truly wished to be with and he would no longer be able to devote his time to her. She looked at Honey, "Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea. It wouldn't hurt to learn, would it?"

"No." Honey said firmly, "Today I want to show you some joint locks. Those techniques are more important right now. If you still want to learn grappling in a few days, we can work on that when Takashi returns next week."

"Why wait? I don't mind helping out today. We can show her together, can't we Haninozuka-senpai?" Katsu questioned. He never thought Honey could be so firm but he didn't seem to want to budge.

He needed leverage, "What do you think, Fujioka? It's up to you after all, you're the one that needs to learn to defend yourself."

Haruhi pondered both alternatives carefully, weighing her options and in all honesty she would rather learn grappling. It sounded easier and she knew it would be extremely beneficial to her. "I really think I should learn some grappling Honey-kun. I want to try it."

She was proud of herself for being so engaged in her lesson today but this piqued her interest. It seemed very helpful and she knew if she were ever going to get stronger she needed to try things even when they made her uncomfortable.

Honey's eyes were shrouded by his golden bangs, so Haruhi was unable to detect the near murderous glint they held. He was furious, how dare Katsu undermine him in front of her. How dare he suggest an activity that he knew would put him in direct contact with her. Katsu was well aware that he and Takashi did not approve of others touching her, not because they were overbearing or cruel, but because they wanted to keep her safe, and after Takashi's warning about this man, he would not allow it.

"I said no." he repeated, his tone very cold, "Haruhi why can't you just listen to me? I told you what we should work on today. Takashi can teach you grappling, he is a far better instructor than Katsu and I are and you would benefit the most by learning from him."

Haruhi cringed at the very dark turn her usually bright friend had taken. This was wildly out of character for him, he only ever adopted this tone when he felt threatened or if he had gone too long without sweets. But there was absolutely no reason for him to feel that way right now. Katsu was only trying to offer her guidance.

"Honey-kun, what's wrong? I thought you wanted me to learn self defense, why won't you let me do this?" she questioned, was there some added risk to this that she could not see?

The man with the golden brown eyes, eyes the hue of honey, let out a long, calming breath. He was allowing his promise to his cousin to influence him too much. He could still protect her without being aggressive.

"I'm sorry, Haru-chan. I do want you to learn this, it is very important. If you really want to learn grappling today then I will show you but I can only teach you the very basics. The advanced portions you will have to wait for Takashi to teach them to you."

Haruhi settled a little upon her friend's declaration, his clarification seeming to make a great deal of sense to her. If he had just explained it to her in that way from the start he might not have become agitated with her.

"Alright, that seems fair." She bowed respectfully at her friend and sensei.

"Great! Let's get started." Katsu said, stepping forward to stand in front of Haruhi, ready to conduct his lesson.

"Katsu-chan, thank you for offering but Haruhi will be fine learning from me. Why don't you fulfill your responsibilities and watch over the rest of the class, ne?" Honey responded to Katsu's blatant disrespect in the most sickeningly cheerful voice he could manage, he would be damned if this man would touch her. Haruhi was his friend and he loved her, not the way Takashi did but he loved her like she were a sister and he would protect her with everything he had. If Takashi did not deem this man fit to handle her then he would make sure that did not occur.

Katsu seethed from his place but kept his features schooled and calm. "Fujioka, I'm here if you need me, have fun with your lesson." He said pleasantly as he stalked away to the head of the class, his pride severely wounded.

"Okay Haru-chan, you wanted to learn grappling, so the first thing I will teach you is how to remove yourself from being beneath another person."

Honey moved around the young woman and laid down on the mat beneath them, "I need you to lie on top of me and then I will maneuver out from beneath you."

Haruhi's face was a perfect blend of skepticism and confusion, "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious! This is why I thought you might want to wait for Takashi, this is a lot more physical than the throws and basic defense you have learned before."

Her eyes widened in sudden realization, she now understood why he was so determined to work on something else today. Had he given in and allowed Katsu to teach her this lesson she would have to be on top of Katsu. She shuddered, feeling very unnerved by that idea. Though she liked Katsu she was not comfortable enough with him for this sort of activity.

After a moment she nodded, her resolve hardening. She needed to learn how to defend herself, no matter how uncomfortable it was. She was well aware that there were far more situations that were considerably more uncomfortable.

She did as she was told and slowly lowered her body down upon his, once settled she didn't move.

"I feel like I'm crushing you." She mumbled from above him.

Honey laughed, his body shaking causing her to jostle.

"I know I'm small but I'm stronger than that Haru-chan." He finally controlled his laughter, "Now I need you to pin me down, hold my arms down. Do you think you can do that?"

She nodded, her small hands gripped his forearms and held them down above his head. She swallowed hard, she had once been in this position, bleeding and crying with another man above her, taking pleasure in her pain. She looked down at Honey, for once his face was devoid of emotion, he was not smiling but she could see the warmth that shone from his brown eyes as they stared back up at her.

"Are you okay?" he inquired softly, her face had paled dramatically after she held him down. He wondered if she were feeling sick or if she was possibly distressed by this, since it was so similar to her incident.

"Yes, I'll be fine."

"Now I'll disarm you and switch our positions, which means I will end up on top of you…" his mouth twisted into a frown. "Haru-chan we can stop, I really don't think this is a good idea. Takashi will make it easier for you. He is much gentler than I am."

Haruhi shook her head firmly but her voice shook as she spoke, "No, no… I can do this. Please just continue."

Honey hesitated for a moment and then went through with the act, he brought his legs out from beneath Haruhi bringing her to rest between his legs, which he then wrapped around her slim waist. He pressed his body up and rolled over, easily dislodging her from her perch atop him. Once she was underneath him he was able to maneuver his arms from hers and in moments he had successfully reversed their positions.

Honey looked down at Haruhi tentatively, her chest was heaving with her breaths but she didn't seem too distressed.

After another moment she smiled, "Can I try next?" she asked.

Honey smiled sweetly down at his dear friend.

"Mmhmm, you can try but after this we're done for the day. I don't want to push you too far."

She nodded her head in agreement.

* * *

Haruhi exited the locker room after redressing, she debated on returning to the library to continue studying but she knew it would be best if she got a head start on finding something decent to wear for her meeting with Katsu on Saturday. After several long internal debates she decided her best bet would be to ask the twins for their help. Even though they were usually insufferable they had impeccable taste in fashion and she felt if she had the resources right at her fingertips she might as well use them.

She fished around in her bag, searching for the damned cell phone that she hated so desperately. Some days she really hated being a girl. It didn't matter how big or how small her bag was, she never seemed to be able to find anything within its confines.

"Need some help?"

Haruhi's eyes swept up and connected with the soft brown eyes of her senpai, Katsu. She quickly averted her gaze, just as she had done while in the dojo earlier in the afternoon. Her heart was beating heavily in her chest once again and she was starting to wonder if he was the possible cause for it.

"No, I'm fine... Ah! There it is!" she cried triumphantly as she pulled the small electronic from her bag.

Katsu chuckled quietly as he watched her interactions. Haruhi was an intriguing person, he thought. She was very different from most other women he knew, she never seemed concerned with trivial things but she was so terribly oblivious and because of that she was vulnerable to so many things. Plenty of people would happily take advantage of a girl like her and that thought made him angry until he remembered that he, himself, was one of those people.

He scowled internally. For the first time in his life he was beginning to doubt himself, before now he would never have thought twice about using another person to further his endeavors. That was the way of the world, the strong thrived by using the weak. The weak existed for that sole purpose, to further the advancement of the strong. He had seen it countless times, in countless situations, so why was he doubting himself now.

It was her, Haruhi had to be the cause. Upon hearing that she was indeed a woman, he had been attracted to her but he never dreamt that he might feel something more for her than that attraction. The only reason he ever wanted to be involved with her was to take her away from Morinozuka but now that was becoming less of his primary objective. He had planned on dating her briefly, flaunting their relationship in front of Morinozuka. He had even mulled over the idea of sleeping with her and then promptly leaving her, just to say that he had been with her before Morinozuka had, to taste sweet success before the other man had the chance to. However, he now found himself just simply wishing to be in her company.

'_What are you doing, moron?'_ his subconscious whispered to him and he had no response because he truly did not know.

He shook his head briefly, bringing his internal musings to a stop. Looking back over to the girl he saw her scrolling through her contact list.

"Fujioka, I'm sorry if I overstepped my bounds this afternoon. I was just hoping to help, I didn't mean to offend you or Haninozuka."

Haruhi was shocked to hear him say such a thing, "It was fine, I didn't mind. It's just… those men have always been very protective of me, sometimes it gets out of hand. Even more so now than before…" she trailed off there, not wishing to speak of her attack. She tried very hard not to live in the past, she had moved on.

"I understand… I would be too if I was them but they don't seem to want to share." He replied coolly.

Haruhi blushed, she already had a task force to keep her safe, she didn't need Katsu added to the team even though she was slightly flattered by the thought.

"That's why I want to learn to protect myself, so that they can rest a little easier. They all do so much for me, Mori-senpai especially, the least I can do is learn to keep myself from getting into trouble. Sometimes, I feel like such a failure because they work so hard to teach me and I still can't perform correctly. I'm surprised they haven't given up on me yet."

"I can't speak for any of those men but I know that if it were me, I would never give up on you." He said earnestly and he hated himself because he knew he meant it. However, he knew that Morinozuka would never give up on her either, which only made him more determined to win her over.

This had progressed further than he ever would have imagined, it wasn't just about beating Morinozuka any longer. He legitimately liked Haruhi and he wanted her to be his.

The young woman's face grew darker as her blush deepened. Why would he say something like that, he barely knew her? Why should he even be bothered with her safety at all?

"Thank you." She replied, not knowing what else she could say.

He blinked as he took in the flushed look of her face. She was so cute, and he felt his cheeks begin to react in the same sort of manner. He averted his eyes, looking to the side.

"It's nothing, it's just the truth." He cleared his throat, "Well, I'm off to my next class. Since most of the club will be going to Tokyo to watch the competition I called class off for tomorrow so I guess the next time I will see you is on Saturday afternoon?"

For a moment, Haruhi froze. She had not realized that the competition would be the same day that she agreed to meet with Katsu. She was a little disappointed, she really would have liked to see Mori-senpai compete again. She wondered why Katsu wasn't interested in going to support his comrades but she imagined that the tickets for the film festival he wanted to attend were probably hard to come by. Now she was torn, she really wanted to be able to see Mori-senpai, especially since he would be competing but she had already agreed to go with Katsu and she could not go back on that now.

"Yes, I'll see you then." She smiled at him and he returned the expression.

"Great! I can't wait!" he replied, "I'll see you then, Haruhi."

He stopped as he realized that he used her given name, instead of her surname.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… it just slipped out."

Haruhi waved her hand, "It's fine, you let me call you Katsu so it only seems fair."

He sighed in relief, "I guess you're right. Well then, Haruhi, I will see you on Saturday."

The young man reached over and took her hand in his, he brought the appendage to his face and pressed his lips very quickly to the back of it before releasing it and turning to leave.

Haruhi stood stunned for a moment before she was able to garner control of herself again. She did her best to ignore the chill she felt run through her and returned her attention to her phone, debating on if she really should call the twins. She could probably figure this out on her own.

"Haru-chan! Who're you calling?"

The girl screamed and jumped, turning around to face the cause of her disturbance.

"Don't do that! It isn't polite to sneak up on people like that!" she put her hand on her chest in an effort to quiet the jagged beating of her heart.

Honey looked at her quizzically, "I'm sorry. Hey, do you want to get some cakes? Judo made me really hungry this afternoon."

Haruhi rolled her eyes, the lesson had nothing to do with it. The little sugar fiend would have wanted cake regardless of what they were doing.

"No, I don't really have time to do that today. Maybe tomorrow?" she asked, hoping that would appease him. It was inevitable now, she had to ask the twins for help. She didn't have the slightest clue of what she should wear and they would at least be able to point her in the right direction.

Honey pouted, he was now worried that she was still angry about the way he acted while in class this afternoon. "Why not today? What do you have to do? Can I help?" he asked several questions rapid fire.

The young woman took a few moments to process the various questions he had thrown her way before she answered, "I told you I was busy, I was thinking of visiting Hikaru and Kaoru, and no I don't think it's something you can help with."

"I want to see Hika-chan and Kao-chan too! Let's go!" he yelled out, already tugging on Haruhi's arm to get her to follow, "I'll call my driver and he can take us to their house."

Haruhi stopped, not allowing him to make any further advancement. "Hold on, I don't even know if they're home."

Honey stopped as well, his small face taking on a look of wonder. "I hadn't thought about that. I'll call them now!"

Before Haruhi could protest his phone was at his ear. The line rang just twice before it was answered.

"Hello."

"Kao-chan!"

"Honey-senpai? What's up? It's been a long time."

"Are you home? Haru-chan and I were wondering if we could come by to visit."

"You're with Haruhi? Yeah, we're home. Come on over!"

"Okay, see you soon."

Honey turned to Haruhi, his smile beaming brighter than the midday sun.

"See, they're home, no problem."

Haruhi said nothing more as Honey continued to drag her towards his waiting car and before she knew it she was on her way to see the devious twins.

* * *

_Thwack_

Mori delivered a quick, severe blow from his shinai to the side of his kohai.

"Again?" the younger man called out in exasperation, "Mori-sensei, I really hope the guys on the other team aren't as good as you because if they are, we're in serious trouble." He removed his face mask and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.

Mori did the same, his mouth turned down into a barely visible frown at the other man's words. He should not be feeling discouraged because Mori could tell exactly where his shortcomings were and he would show him.

He walked over to the student and placed his hand on his shoulder. "You're just over compensating on your thrusts. You follow through completely but you lack control, therefore you leave yourself vulnerable to attack should your opponent deflect your blow."

He instructed the boy to take his stance against him once again and the boy did so without argument, even though he did not wish to continue. However, he would never let his sensei down, Mori-sensei though quiet was completely dedicated to them so the least he could do was honor him in the same way.

The two bowed respectfully to one another before taking stance again.

"Come at me, I want you to try to strike my right side." He instructed, his voice somehow loud and commanding.

The other man nodded once before obeying, this time he slowed his thoughts and truly thought about how much power he was putting behind the strike. He put a little less power behind it this time.

"Here." Mori's voice instructed.

His student understood and brought his shinai back around just in time to deflect the defensive blow by himself, after that he instantly went on the offensive and low and behold, he struck his sensei exactly where he had been instructed to do so.

Though the blow was hard, Mori showed no outward reaction, as if it never had occurred.

He removed his face mask and for once, their stoic captain smiled, pleased that his student was able to react so quickly.

The answering smile of the young man was infectious, the entire team seemed much more uplifted by this current development than they had been moments previous.

"You have all worked very hard, you will do fine. Do not allow your thoughts to be preoccupied with victory alone. If you only envision the goal, you will never be able to pave the road to get there. Focus on the moment, keep your mind clear, your senses sharp, your moves quick and do your best. I require nothing more of you. If you go out there and do your best, show the world what you have learned, I will be proud."

All the members stood with shock and awe etched across their faces. Their sensei, their idol, was praising them. He had actually said more than just a monosyllabic response and he had praised them.

Suddenly, they all seemed to work out of their stupor and all of them rushed Mori at once, hugging him fiercely, tears of gratitude in their eyes.

"Sensei! You're the greatest."

"Mori-sensei, you're so cool!"

Mori was flattered but he did not exactly enjoy the added attention but he allowed the boys to work out their feelings. He did not want to discourage them further by prying them off of him. Finally, after several moments he was released.

The training continued on, their sensei's words of praise served to fuel their determination. They wanted to win, not just for themselves, but for their sensei who had devoted so much of his time and effort into shaping them into true kendoka.

Mori watched silently as his students continued their training, with renewed vigor. He was pleased that their spirits had been lifted. Just two more days and they would be facing some of the best kendoka in the entire nation but he had the utmost faith in his team. They would do their best and that was all he asked. Then, once all this was over he would be able to see Haruhi again. He missed her terribly, more than he ever would have imagined. He wondered if she would be attending the competition. He would be legitimately thrilled if she did decide to come to cheer not just him, but their entire team on. However, he also understood if she had something else to occupy her time. He knew that Mitsukuni would be present to do plenty enough cheering from the sidelines, on his own he was his own little cheering squad but he would love to see her.

* * *

"I don't know... it seems sort of... tight."

Haruhi looked down at the black dress that she was currently wearing. It was sleeveless, with a sweetheart neck line, very tight and fitted. There were several satin bows of several different sizes all over the dress which gave it a little more of a feminine feel but she did not like it at all. It was a little too sexy for her tastes. She was really just looking for something simple and understated. She did not want to give Katsu the wrong idea, she did not want him to think that she thought this was a date. She was only accompanying him because of how much he helped out while Mori-senpai was away, outside of showing her gratitude and being friends, she desired nothing more from Katsu.

"Really?" Kaoru asked, walking around Haruhi to inspect the ensemble more thoroughly. He adjusted one of the bows on her right hip. He wore a white collared shirt, sleeves pushed up to his elbows and a black vest overtop of it. He wore a simple pair of dress slacks and impeccably shiny shoes. A white length of measuring tape was hanging around his slim shoulders and a pair of glasses were perched on his nose. "This sort of thing is all the rage in the fashion circuit right now, Haruhi."

"Yeah, Haruhi. You look amazing and you should be a little more thankful to us. We're letting you try on some of Mom's brand new designs. These haven't even been released to the public yet!" Hikaru enforced what his brother said, all the while he tried to keep his eyes from lingering on Haruhi's form.

She looked beautiful and elegant in the dress that he and Kaoru had picked out for her, it fit her frame perfectly. Though he was pleasantly surprised when she and Honey-senpai stopped by for a visit, he was interested to know why she needed to find something attractive to wear. Was she going on a date with someone?

Honey said nothing but he agreed with Haruhi, although it looked lovely on her, the style did not fit her in any way. He smiled to himself, he could not prove his theory but he had an inkling that Haruhi was picking something special to wear for Saturday when they went to see Takashi at his competition. She was a clever little minx when she wanted to be.

Haruhi gave herself a once over in the grand mirror that hung on the wall, she turned to look at herself from behind and frowned.

"No, I just don't like it. I'm sorry, do you have anything else a little more… plain, I guess?"

Hikaru wrinkled his nose, "Haruhi, why would you want to look plain. Commoners make no sense! You have some of the highest fashion pieces in all the world at your fingertips and you want to look plain." He grumbled to himself as he moved to the closet to search for something more "plain" for their friend.

Kaoru excused Haruhi to get undressed behind the screen while he joined his brother to look for something Haruhi might deem more appropriate. They were on a hunt for the perfect piece for Haruhi, the two rummaged through dozens of garments of all colors and styles.

"What about this one?"

Both sets of amber eyes turned at the sound.

"When did you two get here?" Hikaru asked, his eyes growing wide as he took in the pair.

Kyoya stood just inside the room, his hands tracing the stitching on a soft pink garment that hung in the closet to his right. He had been the one to speak.

Tamaki pushed past his friend as he took in the sights of several different articles of clothing.

"Haruhi should wear this one!" he exclaimed as he picked up a dress that had frills for days. "No wait, this one!"

He flitted about the room in a flurry of activity. No one bothered to stop him, instead they seemed to collectively ignore him.

Hikaru looked at the garment that Kyoya had picked out. It was a very nearly white, just the faintest blush of pink could be seen on the fabric. The bodice was fitted, with an A line silhouette. The material was a soft, ruffled chiffon that boasted an off neck shoulder line. Two capped sleeves made of chiffon laid gently on the shoulders. The back of the garment scooped down below the shoulder blades, exposing the back of whoever would wear it.

"No way, it's pink. Haruhi would never go for something like that." Hikaru griped, he wasn't sure why but this entire exercise was grating on his nerves. He thought this was going to be fun, using Haruhi as a model was always one of his brother and mothers favorite past times, but now that he had thought about her possibly needing the ensemble for a date he could not banish the thought.

Kaoru moved to stand next to his senpai, he examined the dress that Kyoya had chosen. In all honesty, he did not exactly agree with his brother's assessment. The color would not necessarily dictate Haruhi's decision and this certainly fit her criteria. It was the simplicity of the gown that made it so attractive, which was the exact angle that Haruhi was going for. Whomever wore the garment was what would make it special, not the dress itself and he had a very strong inkling that Haruhi was that person. He was astonished that his senpai had picked up something so fitting for their friend.

Kyoya regarded the young man next to him, instantly he noticed the spectacles that the other man wore.

He leaned in closer to Kaoru, "I did not know you had poor vision, Kaoru."

The youth reeled back at the closeness and his senpai's cool voice. Blood began to flood beneath the skin of his cheeks, causing them to become a shade darker than the dress they were all talking about.

He cleared his throat before he spoke, "I don't, really. I just find that they help me focus when I'm designing…"

A miniscule, coy smile turned up the lips of the older man. For some reason he found his friends reasoning almost… cute.

"I see." was his only response.

Tamaki had finally realized he was being ignored and dropped all the other clothing that he had procured while jumping about the room. He snatched the dress that both men were looking at.

"Hey, be careful with those, Tono!" Hikaru growled, picking up the discarded clothing.

He held it out in front of him, his eyes taking on a sparkle

"C-cute…" he stammered.

Honey's cheeks were apple red as he looked at the dress everyone was drooling over. It was perfect! Haruhi would look absolutely darling in it and Takashi's jaw would hit the floor if he saw her in it.

"Excuse me!"

Every male's eyes in the room looked up to see a very irate Haruhi staring back at them. She had grown tired of waiting and she could hear them arguing over what she should be wearing. She had donned a t-shirt and some shorts so that she would be decent before she stepped out from behind the changing screen. The vein on the side of her neck pulsed quickly and her face was distorted into a scowl.

"What is wrong with all of you? I cannot believe that I asked any of you for help." She pointed at the twins, "You two especially! This is ridiculous, I'm leaving."

Honey's eyes instantly filled with innocent tears.

"We are helping Haru-chan!"

"What did we do?" the twins chorused, both irate.

Kyoya shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes. He did not particularly care either way if he was helping or not, he just felt given the criteria Haruhi was bound to have, this was the best choice.

Tamaki instantly flew into his flamboyant act that he used in the host club in an attempt to appease the volcano that threatened to erupt in Haruhi.

"We're sorry, our princess. Take a look at this! It would be absolutely lovely on you." He said as he moved behind her, gently draping the dress against her figure so everyone could get an idea of how it would look.

Haruhi tried, with some difficulty, to soothe the rage boiling up inside of her. She looked down, curiosity getting the better of her, to examine the dress that they all seemed so excited about.

"Oh!" a surprised gasp fell from her lips at the sight that greeted her. This was actually very nice.

A soft smile graced the lips of the man that stood behind her. Even now, he knew exactly what was necessary to calm her.

"You like it, Haruhi?" Hikaru asked, genuinely amazed that the garment suited her fancy.

"I don't dislike it." She said, which in Haruhi speak, meant she did.

"Then go try it on." Kaoru said, he pushed Tamaki off the woman and shoved her back off in the direction of the dressing area.

Haruhi complied, she disappeared from sight.

Hikaru yelled at Tamaki, telling him to pick up everything he had strewn about the room. Honey sat down at the table in the room to have some tea and cake. Kyoya joined Honey at the table but did not partake in the desserts, he was not a fan of sweets but he did fix himself a cup of tea.

All occupants of the room busied themselves with trivial tasks.

"Hikaru?" Haruhi called.

The boys eyes came up to stare at the screen, he could just barely see her silhouette from behind it.

"Is something wrong? Does it not fit? I thought it was your size." He said as he walked over to where she was.

"It fits, I just can't reach the zipper in the back. Could you help me?"

Luckily, no one else heard her request so Tamaki did not fly into a fit of hysterics over it. He walked slowly until he was behind the screen, all he could see was her back which was almost completely exposed to him. She had tried to zip the garment up herself but only was able to cover up to about the base of her spine.

He swallowed hard at the sight but managed to keep his composure. With shaking hands he walked up behind her, taking the zipper in his right hand he held the top of the fabric together and slowly zipped her up. He secured the hooks at the top, his knuckles grazed the soft skin of her back for a moment and he did his best not to take advantage of the situation and touch her any further.

As soon as the task was finished he moved away from her.

"Turn around." He requested in a breathy whisper.

Haruhi did as she was told, "What do you think?" she asked.

Hikaru released a shaky breath before answering. "Incredible." He answered, honestly.

"You don't think it's too much?"

He shook his head, "No, you're beautiful."

Having restrained himself so thoroughly earlier he was unable to control what happened next. He walked up to her, putting himself directly in front of her. He swept her hair that was hanging about her shoulders back, he twisted it in one hand and pulled it up, exposing the creamy skin of her neck and shoulders.

"I think you should wear your hair up if you wear this one, Haruhi." He suggested.

She nodded but the action was hindered by the grip he had on her.

"Haruhi? Is everything okay in there?" Kaoru called out as he rounded the corner. He quickly caught sight of his brother and her. For a moment he was paralyzed. "Oops… I'll just wait right out here." He excused himself as quickly as he could manage.

His brother's intrusion seemed to work him out of the trance he had found himself in. He released Haruhi completely, "Go on, show everyone how good you look."

He pushed her out from behind the screen back into the common area of the home. Several pairs of eyes came up to see her.

"Ohhhhh! Haru-chan, you look amazing!" Honey enthused, she looked like a pixie. He felt the look would have been more complete if she still had her short hair but it was lovely just the same.

Kyoya nodded his head in agreement but did not say anything further, he just sat with a satisfied smile on his face. He had known it would suit her perfectly. He was always right.

Tamaki promptly got a nosebleed and was shunned by the others. Hikaru and Kaoru immediately smothered her, clutching her on either side to shield her from the "pervert" in the room.

"Haruhi, you are so cute!" He enthused, joining in the chorus of compliments.

"I knew we could find something perfect for you. Mom is a genius and I do take after her, after all." Kaoru said, he squeezed her a moment more before letting her go, completely neglecting the fact that it was Kyoya, not he that found he dress.

She stood in front of the mirror once more and she thought this dress was much more appropriate. It was exactly what she was looking for. The garment was classy enough to be worn to the film festival but still modest enough that she did not look like she was trying too hard.

She could barely believe it was her in the mirror. The person reflected was beautiful, stunning almost. She actually looked like a women, not just like a little girl trying to play dress up.

Once satisfied with the fit of the dress, the twins put it in a bag for her to keep it safe until she was to wear it.

Finally, Kyoya asked the question that had been on everyone's mind.

"What, if you do not mind my asking, is the dress for, Haruhi?" his cool voice inquired. For all intents and purposes he sounded exceptionally bored but he was very interested to know what occasion would warrant such attire for her, especially considering it had been a debacle anytime they had tried to dress her up before.

Haruhi's eyes darted around the room at all the faces present, then gazed at the floor.

"It's for Saturday."

Honey smiled widely, he had been right, she was dressing nicely for Takashi. He was satisfied.

"I already asked you, Kyo-chan but everyone else, Haruhi and I are going to watch Takashi's competition on Saturday would you like to come?" Honey asked, now that he had all of his friends in the same room.

Kaoru's eyes lit up at the prospect, Mori-senpai looked so cool when he was in a kendo match. He had not seen him engage in one since their high school years so he was very interested in going again.

Hikaru also readily agreed, it would be nice to get out of the house and away from their grueling modeling and designing schedule.

"Of course we will go to support Mori-senpai!" Tamaki yelled, his obnoxious personality already blooming. He continued on, creating a passionate speech about honorable samurai.

Haruhi stood, wide eyed and stunned. For a few beats she was unable to speak before she finally said, "I won't be going to the competition on Saturday…"

Honey was completely silent before he roared with a question.

"What?" he screeched. He never would have imagined a world in which Haruhi was not coming to see Takashi compete. She had practically been moping about the past week without their friend, why was she denying herself the chance to see him?

"Huh? Why not, Haruhi? We were all going to go." Hikaru said, moving to her side.

She waved her hands in front of her gently, as if trying to fend off all of their questioning.

"You see… I just… have plans on Saturday afternoon." She said, looking around at all of them. Confusion was clearly etched on their faces. "With someone else."

The whole room erupted into chaos, who but them could she possibly want to spend time with? The boys in the room could not seem to grasp such a concept.

"Who dares to take my precious daughter away from me?" Tamaki demanded.

Since their understanding Tamaki had reverted to referring to her as his daughter once again, a coping mechanism, or so Kyoya suspected.

Haruhi fidgeted with an invisible thread on her new dress, she did not want to cause more of a stir than she already had but she felt they would not really give her that choice.

She heaved a great sigh, "Katsu-senpai asked me to go to a film festival with him and I agreed. It's the least I could do since he offered me so much help this past week."

Tamaki did his best to keep his features schooled but his lips turned down just slightly. He had seen that boy the other day with Haruhi, he had specifically asked her if she was involved with him in any way and she had said no.

What could possibly have changed in such a short amount of time?

Hikaru's heart sunk in his chest. It was a date, he had been suspicious of that all along and now his fears were confirmed.

"So, you're going on a date?" Hikaru questioned quietly, not wanting to hear the answer.

Haruhi's eyes took on a deadly glint when she looked at him, "It is not a date!"

Honey's blood turned to ice in his veins. No, no she could not do this. He had promised Takashi. When had Haruhi run into Katsu without his knowledge for this to have even happened?

He could not keep silent, "I don't think that's a good idea, Haru-chan. You should come with all of us. Takashi needs our support." He tried plucking her heart strings, he knew it wasn't the most honorable method but he had to do it. If she could just bring Takashi back to the forefront of her thoughts they had a chance to change her mind.

Honey's tactics backfired completely, "I cannot believe you! This is exactly why I didn't want to say anything. Believe it or not guys I do have friends outside of you and sometimes I want to spend time with them instead."

The young woman turned and addressed Honey directly, "Why do you act so weird when Katsu is around? Did something happen between the two of you?"

He did not know how to respond, he couldn't rightfully tell her that she was the cause for his dislike of the man. He could not even prove that he was a real threat to her safety but he trusted Takashi with his own life. Even though Takashi held strong feelings for Haruhi he knew that it was not just jealousy that dictated his feelings.

So, he chose to not say anything about it at all. Instead he just shook his head from side to side.

She narrowed his eyes at him. She could tell he was lying but she did not care to find out why. She just wanted to get home and be by herself.

"Thank you for all your help guys. I think I'll go home now." She said, not bothering to look around the room. She gathered her things and swept out of the house as quickly as she could manage.

The young men all looked about the room at each other in silence. What had they done?

"Who is Katsu?" Hikaru questioned, his curiosity getting the better of him. He was not familiar with the name but he could tell that Honey, at the very least knew.

Before the smallest man in the group had the chance to speak, Kyoya filled in the blanks.

"Kondo Katsu, 20 years old is the only son of wealthy business owner Kondo Hatori. Highly skilled in both the art of kendo and judo he attended Ouran Academy at the same time as us then chose to attend Ouran University when he was offered a position to co-instruct the judo team alongside Mori-senpai. He has been described as thoughtful and charismatic but it also seems that he has inherited some of his father's cut throat ferocity. Especially, when it comes to competition."

Honey allowed that last part to sink in. Competition. Could it be that Katsu's increased interest in Haruhi had less to do with her and more to do with Takashi? It seemed plausible, in any case he knew that no matter how angry Haruhi would be he could not allow her to spend time together with him alone. It just didn't seem safe.

Kaoru frowned, he didn't like the term "cut throat" and he definitely did not want someone like that near Haruhi. He began to feel a bit panicked, "What should we do? It doesn't seem like he's a very nice guy. I don't want Haruhi near someone like that." He said, his voice shaking slightly as he remembered her attack that seemed so long ago now. She had come such a long way in her recovery, he would not be able to bear something happening to her now.

Kaoru felt the cold fingertips of his friend brush his neck. This went unseen by everyone else in the room and although Kaoru was sure that Kyoya was trying to comfort him, it only served to make him more uncomfortable but for an entirely different reason. He let go of a shaky breath and his entire body shuddered at the same time as he did his best not to look at Kyoya, he could already feel his piercing gaze upon him.

"I don't like that boy either" Tamaki said, his expression no longer light and happy, "I have seen the way he looks at her and it isn't pleasant. It's almost… predatory."

Hikaru swallowed heavily against the thick panic he could feel bubbling up inside of him.

"I have an idea," All eyes settled on the smallest and surprisingly oldest in the group. "but I will need your help. All of you."

Everyone nodded, a silent symbol of their collected cooperation. They all listened intently as Honey hashed out their plan to kidnap Haruhi.

* * *

You have to love when a chapter ends with a kidnapping plot! What are these boys up to? In this chapter it seems Haruhi's instincts seem to be warning her of the possible danger that Katsu poses but she does not seem to understand. What's new? If it isn't a math equation or something of that nature the girl rarely understands anything!

Katsu continues to struggle with his blossoming romantic feelings for Haruhi and the long standing resentment he feels for Mori. Will he be able to reconcile the two? Which will he choose?

As I suggested in the beginning of the chapter there is the possibility for another pairing within the story. I personally adore Kaoru and Kyoya. When they began to grow closer at the end of the manga I found myself wishing that there had been more of a development between the two. I'm still undecided as to how much I will explore the pairing in this story, perhaps I'll write a seperate fic for them.

Alright, the next chapter will bring us the long awaited reunion of our two favorite characters, Mori and Haruhi! We will also have a front row seat to Mori's competition and an uninvited guest will make his appearance which puts everyone, especially Mori-senpai, on edge. Please bear with me as I continue to write and edit, I know my updates are a lot less frequent but I'm hoping that the wait is worth it. As always, thank you so much for reading and please review!


	12. Chapter 12

Finally! This chapter took forever to write and plot out but I think I'm as happy with the result now as I'll ever be. If I don't post it now I'll just edit it for the rest of eternity and I would really love to get on with this story. Very long chapter, we finally get the Mori/Haruhi reunion with a MAJOR development at the end of the chapter! That being said, please read and enjoy!

* * *

_**Chapter 12**_

_**Reunion**_

"Mmmmm..." the young girl groaned still in between the waking world and that of the world of dreams. She could see sunlight dancing across her closed eyelids, casting her unconscious thoughts in shades of red and orange. It was a strange combination but the way the sunlight shined on his tanned skin and glint off of his straight teeth made him that much more beautiful to her. She and Mori-senpai were sharing a bento on the campus of the college they attended and though he did not voice it aloud, she could tell he was pleased with the quality of her food because every so often he would grunt a small approval from the back of his throat and in those moments Haruhi felt her heart might burst with a happiness that thoroughly frightened her.

Was it healthy to feel this way? Was it normal? Is this how others felt when they were with the ones they loved or was she delusional? Had she finally succumb to the madness that she tried to battle while in the host club?

Her reverie ended when she felt his rough finger trail down her jaw line. She leaned into the touch, her eyes drifting closed as she indulged in the touch of the man she loved. When he retracted his hand she turned in his direction.

"How long do you think she will sleep?" he said but it wasn't his deep baritone that spoke, instead it was another voice that was familiar but wrong. Not Mori's, not the man she loved.

"What?" she asked, his brows coming together on her forehead in confusion.

He spoke again, this time with a new voice but still not his own. "Who knows she's snoring like a rhino over there. Keep quiet, don't wake her up."

'_Hikaru?'_ she thought.

She stirred, stretching her limbs her mind finally awakening to join the waking world. Her eyes opened slowly, struggling to adjust to the blinding light. A dream... of course it had been a dream. She knew that sort of situation would never become a true reality. How cruel of her subconscious to dredge up such a beautiful scene, one that would never come to fruition. She groaned, rolling over in her bed and straight onto the floor.

"What the hell?" she grumbled.

Sure her bed wasn't very expansive but she did not think it was that small. She had certainly never rolled off it before.

"Uh-oh."

Haruhi finally got her senses about her and took a moment to look around her. She was not in her bedroom, she had fallen off the bench seat in the back of what appeared to be a limousine and ever single one of her male friends, save for Mori-senpai as he was not present, was now staring at her wide eyed like she were some sort of zoo animal.

"What the hell is going on?" she managed to say much more calmly than she could have imagined because the white hot rage she could feel pounding in her head was near unbearable.

Honey was the first to dare to speak, "Now don't be angry with us Haru-chan. This is for your own good." He tried to keep his tone calm and soothing. He could tell that she was beyond angry.

Haruhi exploded, her rage exceeding past the point of her control. "Don't be angry? You kid napped me!" she screamed, "How the hell did you even get into my house?"

At this, Kyoya smirked. "Locksmiths tend to not ask very many questions when you offer them three times their normal rate."

"Breaking and entering is a felony! I'm sure you know that!" she growled at Kyoya.

He shrugged, then yawned, seemingly completely unaffected by the daggers that were shooting from her eyes. He still couldn't believe that he actually agreed to go through with this seeing as there was absolutely no merit or personal gain from this. Except for the fact that two of his best friends may find happiness with each other.

* * *

When Honey first told them all his idea and the reasoning behind it, it had caused a bit of an uproar.

"What do you mean Mori-senpai is in love with Haruhi?" Tamaki asked, completely disoriented by the news.

"Takashi is in love with Haru-chan but he hasn't told her yet. I don't know how long he has felt this way for her and he hasn't told me directly but I can tell. The way he looks at her, I've never seen him more at peace than when he looks at her." the golden haired young man said as a wistful smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. It was true, he had never seen his cousin look at another human being the way he looked at Haruhi, as if she were some angel come to earth.

Hikaru scowled, "That's ridiculous! Everyone knows the only person Mori-senpai cares about is you Honey-senpai. There's no way that he has feelings for Haruhi... just no way!" he said vehemently.

Honey's wistful smile quickly turned into a sardonic grin, "Are you telling me I don't know my own flesh and blood?" he questioned in a tone that was dripping with sarcasm.

Kyoya cleared his throat, "Now, now gentleman, let's all calm down." he turned his attention to the smallest in their group. "Honey-senpai, no one here is suggesting anything of the sort. It's just a bit of a shock for the rest of us. After all, this is all news to us."

"I know, Kyo-chan but you see the thing is... I think Haru-chan might feel the same way."

The room was so silent you could have heard a pin drop.

Tamaki swallowed hard, a cold sweat breaking out on his brow. Was Mori-senpai the reason Haruhi no longer harbored feelings for him? He never would have imagined it could be so.

Kaoru stayed quiet but looked thoughtful. It was certainly possible that Haruhi could have developed feelings for the stoic man. She had gotten along with him rather genially during their time in the host club and she always seemed at ease in his company. He could easily see that Honey may suspect that Mori-senpai had feelings for Haruhi. He was as protective of her as he was for Honey-senpai.

"Alright, well even if they do love each other, what does Katsu have to do with any of this?" Hikaru asked, more than a little annoyed with this conversation.

"Well Takashi asked me to look after her while he was gone and the reason for that was Katsu. He said he doesn't get a good feeling from him, like sometimes he's trying to hurt her."

"He better not lay a finger on her." Hikaru ground out.

Honey scowled, he completely agreed with Hikaru's sentiment which is exactly why he felt the need to get her out of this dilemma. He knew there would be severe consequences for what needed to be done but he felt they would be worth it if it meant securing her safety.

"He won't have the chance if we have anything to do with it. We all love Haruhi, some more than others." He said, and he couldn't help it as his eyes drifted to both Tamaki and Hikaru. He was aware of the feelings these men harbored for her and hopefully their devotion to this woman would make it easier to convince them of what they needed t do.

"I'm in." Kaoru said, he looked at his brother pointedly.

Hikaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "I'm in, too. I guess..."

Tamaki enthusiastically agreed, Kyoya did not answer one way or another but his silence proved to be his agreement. If he did not wish to participate, he would say so.

Honey grinned, he would be able to keep his promise to Takashi. He would be able to protect their dear Haruhi.

* * *

Kyoya broke from his inner musings and looked back to Haruhi. It seemed she was beginning to collect herself.

"What is going on?" she asked once she calmed down, "Why do you think it's necessary to kidnap me?"

Honey couldn't help the small giggle that escaped his lips. Haruhi shot him an icy glare so he took this opportunity to explain not only his actions, but the rest of the clubs actions as well.

"We know that sometimes you would like to spend time with other people but if we all went without you, it just wouldn't have been the same... and I know that Takashi would like to have you there to cheer him on. He would never say it out loud or ask it of you because he just isn't that type of person but I know that he would really like you to be there, Haru-chan."

Slowly, the heat in Haruhi's cheeks began to cool, she had never thought of it that way. She truly believed that her friends were just being selfish and now she was beginning to regret her earlier actions. She should have thought this through more carefully, especially for Mori-senpai's sake. He was always going out of his way to cater to her and she could not even be bothered to give him one afternoon. How could she claim to love him if she was not willing to make even the smallest of concessions for him.

"I'm sorry." She whispered into the still air of the car.

For some, this was only the second time they had ever heard Haruhi utter those words, for one it was one of many but even so, it was much appreciated. They all wanted nothing more than to occupy just a little of her time and in doing so, they could keep her safe as well.

"Oh you!" Kaoru said and just as he lunged to ensnare her in a rib crushing hug, everyone else moved to do the same causing one heck of a collision.

Kyoya suppressed a laugh from his seat, he had been the only one who did not join in the attempted group hug. Haruhi laughed outright at their failure and the sight before her now. Tamaki, Kaoru, Hikaru and Honey were all piled on the floor, one on top of the other having failed in acquiring their target, their limbs tangled.

Everyone returned to their seats, not wanting to risk further injury with another group hug.

Haruhi looked out the window, she did not recognize any of the buildings they were passing by, "Where are we?"

"We're about fifteen minutes from the arena now." Kyoya said as he looked down at his watch.

Haruhi's eyes went wide, "What time is it? How long was I asleep?"

Hikaru snickered behind his hand, struggling to fight back the hysterics he was about to fall into. "You were out for a while... and you snore like a rhino."

Laughter erupted from all of them, even Haruhi could not hold back a few giggles. Her father had told her that she snored rather loudly but she never paid him any mind.

"Well you wouldn't have had to listen to it if you didn't snatch me out of my bed!" She yelled though there was none of her earlier rage in her tone.

Tamaki bounced happily in his seat, it was easy to see he was excited and due to that it was nearly impossible for him to sit still. He was like an excitable puppy, looking this way and that, the big city of Tokyo seemed to hold great appeal for the boy.

"Kyoya-senpai?"

The boy with mahogany eyes looked up from the book he currently had his nose buried in. Just because he was taking this time away from his studies to support his friends did not mean he could forget about his responsibilities completely. His clinical was next week and it would be the most rigorous of his career so far but he felt up to the challenge.

Kaoru had been the one to call his name, he would have known who it was even if he had not looked up, having long ago committed that voice to memory.

"Yes?" he questioned after taking a moment to appraise the other mans appearance. Kaoru's hair was now more of a strawberry blonde rather than the red that it was back in their days at Ouran Academy. His choice of clothing had matured greatly as well, it seemed he now favored dress slacks, cardigans and vests over the t-shirts and jeans he used to wear. It seemed he was more interested in the fashion industry than the modeling industry, he was far more involved in the designing of what he wore than Hikaru was. Indeed, this young man seemed to have quite a promising career ahead of him. Kyoya would not be the least bit surprised to see his designs on the front cover of high fashion magazines.

"How are you liking medical school? It seems a lot different from all the business you used to deal with in the host club." he said, genuinely interested in hearing about his friends life. He wanted to know what had happened in the time they spent apart.

The older boy shrugged, "It's certainly different from the business aspect of things but I enjoy the challenge." he began before leaning in and lowering his voice. He did not want the others to hear what he had to say next, "After putting the pieces together about Tamaki's mothers illness I became engrossed with the idea of doing that on a daily basis. Solving a puzzle to save someone's life. There is nothing more mentally stimulating and truly gratifying in the world than that, I think."

Kaoru smiled and nodded, he had never doubted his senpai's brilliance. He had proven it to everyone time and time again, he always found himself nearly in awe of this man but then he would always remember that behind that brilliance was the sense to use it to manipulate. He knew Kyoya was not a bad person, he just had the sense about him to use others to get what he wanted, a quality that was not altogether bad but he had the capability to be a force to be reckoned with if he had a mind to do so and Kaoru would never allow himself to forget that fact.

"That's amazing Kyoya-senpai, you really are incredible." he said after a few moments, staring down at his hands that rested in his lap. Had he been looking at the bespectacled youth he so admired he would have seen the sweet smile that had settled on his face. An honest gesture, one that was not marred by his usual malice or contempt.

"I'm not sure that I can agree with you now but I do hope to be someday." he replied.

"Kaoruuuuuu..." Hikaru whined his brothers name hoping to catch his attention.

He turned his attention from Kyoya to his other half, the face that looked identical to his but they were two completely different people.

"What is it?"

"I'm bored. Let's play a game!" Hikaru said excitedly. He couldn't remember the last time the entire group had been together in a long time and he wanted to make it fun.

"I don't believe we'll have time for that. We've arrived." Kyoya said, snapping his book shut.

The car pulled up in front of the huge arena, there were already plenty of people ambling around outside by the huge statue in front of the building, a depiction of two kendoka, their shinai's crossed in the heat of battle. It was a sight to behold and Haruhi was suddenly struck with an extreme pang of anticipation and excitement. In just a few short moments she would be able to see Mori-senpai again. Not only that, she would be able to witness his raw power as he truly competed with some of the best kendoka in the entire nation.

The driver came around and opened the door, allowing everyone to vacate the car. Tamaki stretched his long limbs when he got outside.

"Oh, I can't wait! I'm going to watch real samurai battle!" he said, his voice high and tight as he buzzed around the courtyard.

Haruhi rolled her eyes, she knew that he did not truly believe they would be samurai with top knots and katana's she still could not help feeling slightly embarrassed when everyone began to stare. She did not realize that something was wrong until she noticed that everyone was not staring at Tamaki but at her.

She was confused as to why she was receiving such bizarre looks, she looked down wondering what could be wrong and it only took her a moment to register what was wrong.

"I'm still in my pajamas!" she screeched her arms flying to cover herself. Though Haruhi did not wear skimpy night clothes, she was still only clad in a tank top and a pair of shorts, hardly appropriate attire for going out in public.

"I knew we were forgetting something." Hikaru said almost offhanded.

"Did any of you even have the sense to bring me something to wear when you abducted me?"

Instantly Tamaki was at her side, "I did my sweet little girl!" he cried, then pulled a cheerleader outfit seemingly out of thin air, complete with a set of pom-poms.

"I thought this would be wonderful! You can cheer on Mori-senpai and you would look so cute with pigtails." He enthused, his eyes twinkling with his brilliant idea.

Kyoya grimaced at the spectacle, this was going to be messy.

Haruhi stomped on Tamaki's foot quickly bringing his grandiose illusion to a screeching halt.

"Does anyone have any other suggestions?" she asked, praying that any of them had enough sense to offer her something decent.

"I think we can help." Kaoru came forward and offered, he always had a spare outfit in his repertoire and though it may not thoroughly suit her she would at least have something to wear. He handed her a small bag and told her to get back in the car to change and to call him when she was decent. Haruhi nodded her head and did as she was told, after several minutes she called for Kaoru. The golden eyed boy grabbed his brothers arm and towed him along as well.

The only clothes that he had with him were a few articles from the collection he was currently working on and unfortunately it was part of the men's line. The clothes hung loosely on Haruhi's slim frame, she wore a light blue t-shirt and a pair of mens capri's that were so large she looked like she were wearing pants.

"This feels weird." she said, usually she had no qualms about wearing males clothing, it was much more comfortable than womens clothing but what she wore tended to fit a little better.

"I know, just give us a little time to work our magic and I promise you will be happy with what we do."

"Yeah, Haruhi. Trust us a little." Hikaru said and for once Haruhi felt like he wasn't trying to do anything funny or play a joke on her. They were legitimately trying to be helpful, possibly a small gesture of repentance on their part for snatching her away from her home. Kaoru pulled a needle and thread from the messenger bag he had slung over his shoulder, he put on his glasses and got to work. He instructed Hikaru on what he needed to do and shortly Haruhi found herself in a completely new ensemble. The t-shirt had been transformed into a little tank top that Kaoru pinned a decorative dark blue flower on to and though she hated to admit it, it was rather cute. The khaki colored capri's had been hemmed and taken in, in record time. Kaoru added small drawstrings to the bottom cuffs that he tied and secured just below her knees. Lucky for Haruhi Kaoru also happened to have a pair of sandals within his bag that were rather plain but they would do for now.

Hikaru put some light makeup on her face just enough to make her look refreshed and he tied her hair into a ponytail on the top of her head. He swept her bangs to one side and he finished the look with a simple pair of earrings.

"Perfect!" Kaoru said, clapping his hands in front of him as he admired his handiwork. He was rather impressed with himself for pulling together such an appropriate ensemble with what little he had to work with. She looked adorable, refreshed and casual.

The boys held up a mirror so Haruhi could see for herself just how cute she looked.

"Wow, thank you guys. I really appreciate this." she said earnestly.

Each boy kissed one of her cheeks and soon they all joined the rest of their little group.

"Haru-chan, you look cute!" Honey said and he grabbed her hand, holding it as they all walked into the arena. They were all handed a program and Haruhi's jaw nearly hit the floor as her eyes scanned the room, there seemed to be hundreds of young men on several different teams. They all seemed to be running through different series of drills getting themselves ready for the competition ahead. As they moved through the throngs of people Haruhi soon started to recognize some of the boys from Ouran's kendo club and she began to feel a small bit of anxiety. She had not seen Mori-senpai since the day she tried to confront him about their little incident, then there had been the strange phone call she received while he was away where he had asked her if she still loved Tamaki. Indeed, she was feeling mixed emotions about their reunion, she never would have dreamt that she would be uncomfortable in his presence but she feared that may be what would occur.

Honey gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, he could sense her nerves and he could not determine if that was a good sign or a bad one. He hoped it was the former, he wanted Takashi to be happy, he wanted Haruhi to be happy, he wanted them to find happiness together. Over the crowd Honey recognized a head of spiky black hair. He couldn't help it as his pace quickened, he was eager to be reunited with his tall cousin.

He let go of Haruhi's's hand and broke out into a run, "Takashi!"

The tall youth turned, his steel grey eyes falling upon his small, golden haired cousin. He held out his arms to catch him just as Honey launched himself into the air. He caught him easily, holding him up in the crook of one arm as one might do to a small child.

Honey smiled brightly at his best friend, "Takashi! Everyone else came to cheer you on!" he said just as the others made their way to the two cousins.

"Mori-senpai!" Kaoru and Hikaru chorused as they crushed him with a hug.

Mori patted each one of them on the head, his own way of showing affection and greeting them at the same time.

Kyoya greeted the other man with a simple nod of the head and Tamaki congratulated him enthusiastically for his achievement in making it to the nationals. Though Tamaki was genuinely pleased for the other man he was shaken by the mix of comradery and jealousy that he felt towards him because he now knew of the feelings that he harbored for the woman Tamaki loved. He did not want his own unrequited feelings to create a wedge between he and his older friend. In all honesty if Tamaki thought of someone that was more suited for her than he was, it was Mori-senpai and should Haruhi return that man's feelings he would be happy for the both of them. Morinozuka Takashi was a good, strong, capable man, he could give Haruhi the things she needed and that made Tamaki breathe a little easier.

Mori's eyes scanned for the only other person he truly wanted to see, if he could just look upon her face, to see with his own eyes that she was safe and sound he might be able to take a breath that did not hurt again. When he found what he was looking for he could not contain the smile that broke across his face, there she was and she was still in one piece, not broken and battered the way he had found her all those months ago. No malicious presence had made itself known in his absence.

She returned the smile though the gesture seemed small and hesitant, she raised her hand and gave a short wave. "Hello Mori-senpai."

"Haruhi." he greeted, more pleased than he ever thought he could be to just see her again. he had missed her, desperately so in their time apart and though he was reluctant to tell her, he knew it would not be long before he confessed to her in some way.

"Good luck." she said and she placed a small hand on his arm.

He moved his hand and grasped hers with it, he gave it a gentle squeeze before releasing it.

Haruhi's face flushed at the gesture and she moved to run that same hand up and down her arm in an attempt to rid herself of the goose bumps that had risen on her flesh. She was surprised that she had reacted so strongly to such a simple touch but this was the first time since she had realized her true feelings for this man that he had touched her and it seemed to make quite the difference.

Mori spent a few more minutes with everyone as they kept up light conversation, Honey filled him in on the week that he had missed but soon it was time for Mori to excuse himself. The competition was about to begin and although they were not set to compete in the first round it was still good sportsmanship as well as good strategy to watch the other schools.

Everyone wished him good luck once again and he turned his attention back to his students. They all headed for the spectators stands and got seats that were relatively close to the action. Haruhi glanced at the clock on the wall, it was nearly 12:30, the time Katsu was supposed to pick her up for the film festival at. She felt terrible, she could only imagine what he would think of her, he would think she ditched him which was not the case at all and of course the boys had conveniently forgotten to bring her cell phone along so she could not even call him to break the news. She sighed heavily as she settled into her seat. There was nothing she could do now, when she saw him again she would just have to apologize thoroughly.

* * *

Katsu stifled the urge to fidget as he drove his fathers Italian sports car towards Haruhi's apartment complex but it was nearly impossible. He was nervous and if he had the time to stop and think about it he might just scoff at himself. This was ridiculous, it was no date he just simply asked her out to keep him company. Definitely not a date so he wasn't sure why he had bothered to buy her flowers.

"Dammit..." he muttered to no one but himself. He seemed to find himself doing that a lot recently, talking to himself. Waging war with his own subconscious.

The one question he found himself asking over and over again was, did he want Haruhi because he legitimately liked her or because he wanted to crush Morinozuka? Each time he found he could not provide a solid answer, he was somewhere in the middle, lost in limbo about his own intentions. It was sad really how far his focus had slipped in such a short amount of time. He needed to reevaluate, to set his sights on his original goal and do anything in his power to achieve it, _**anything**_.

As he pulled up to her complex he let go of a long breath one that he hoped would calm his jagged nerves. What was there to be afraid of, she was just an insignificant girl.

'_Insignificant?'_ his mind echoed in question and he shook his head to dislodge the thought.

He ascended the stairs that would bring him to her door and he gave several sharp knocks to the apartment she had indicated was hers. He waited for quite some time with no response. For a moment he believed he may have knocked on the wrong door but once he double checked the address he knew he was in the right place. He knocked again and still all he was greeted by was silence. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. What the hell was going on? They had agreed on 12:30 he was sure of it so why wasn't she here?

Katsu looked down at the ground and shuffled his feet wondering what could have gone wrong. He checked his phone and noted that there were no missed calls from her. He had no reason to believe that she had canceled. He did not enjoy the bitter taste of defeat that was in his mouth at the moment. Why would she deny him now?

It was then that Katsu noticed what could have been his first clue into why Haruhi had seemingly vanished into thin air. Several candy wrappers littered the ground in front of her door, candy wrappers that were all too familiar. They were wrappers from a brand of candy that Haninozuka-senpai seemed to be fond of. It did not take him very long to catch on to what had occurred and where his wayward date may be now. He wasn't sure who it was or why they felt the need to put distance between he and Haruhi but two could play at that game. If Haruhi could not come to him, he would go to her.

The boy took the stairs back down to his car two at a time, lucky for him his car was built for speed. If traffic permitted he could be there in an hour, hour and a half tops. He had never planned on watching Mori-senpai compete but now he had no choice, still he had every intention of making the most of this trip which meant winning one, Fujioka Haruhi.

* * *

The noise level increased exponentially when Ouran University was named as one of the final two teams left to compete for the title of national champions and most of that noise was coming from one particular section of the crowd. They had only one more team to defeat and they very well could be crowned with that prestigious title.

Tamaki, Kaoru, Hikaru and Honey all wore large foam fingers on their hands that proudly stated "Ouran #1" on them and they were chastised several times by the referees for being too noisy. Haruhi practically buried her head in embarrassment every time that occurred while Kyoya was somehow able to completely ignore the foolishness that currently surrounded him. This match had the potential to be legendary, there were only two more matches left and one involved the team captains facing off against one another. Mori-senpai would face off against Arima-senpai from Taiyou University, two of the greatest kendoka in the college circuit at the moment. It was much anticipated and it caused quite a series of murmurs to break out when it was announced.

"Who is this Arima guy?" Haruhi asked Honey, she knew if anyone would have the details about him, he would.

"Arima is the captain of the kendo team at Taiyou University, he's been described as one of the best kendoka of this generation. If anyone would ever have the chance of beating Takashi it would be him." he relayed the information he had on the subject.

Haruhi nodded, absorbing that bit of information. She wondered if Mori-senpai felt nervous at all going up against someone whose skill may possibly outweigh his own but if he was there was no outward appearance of it. He looked as calm and unaffected as he ever had. Though Mori-senpai was a large man to begin with, Haruhi always found his gi and hakama made him seem that much larger. She wasn't sure what about this attire made him seem that way, she figured it was probably due to the fact that when he wore his kendo garb she knew that she would soon see the raw power of this man unrestrained and that alone made him appear even bigger than he already was.

The room quieted as the next two opponents to their places opposite one another. They bowed to each other before the match began. Soon after their shinai's flew through the air and the battle began. The kendoka from Ouran University landed the first hit, gaining them a point.

"Yes!" Tamaki yelled, his fist rose high into the air and in his excitement he jumped up from his seat.

Haruhi shot him a dirty look that clearly conveyed the message that he needed to sit down and shut up. He shot her a crooked smile and slowly sat back down.

Ouran got the second point, winning the match. Cheers rose up from the section that they were in and even Haruhi clapped her hands in celebration. It was all up to Mori-senpai now but she believed he would be able to pull it off and bring home the championship. She had the utmost confidence in him and he deserved to be known as the best. She saw the time and the effort he dedicated to this club, to everything he put his mind to. That was one of his qualities that she found so appealing about him, he put a little piece of himself into everything he did.

There was a brief intermission before the final match was to begin, the tall youth sauntered over to his friends one last time before he was due to head to the ring himself.

Everyone wished him good luck once again.

"Do you think you'll win Takashi?" Honey asked, though he already knew the answer he would receive.

Mori shrugged his shoulders, he was not boastful enough to believe that he could win. He was confident in his skill but there were plenty of factors in a match that could sway the final result which was why he needed just a few moments to meditate, so he could clear his mind and his focus.

"I'm a little thirsty." Haruhi said offhandedly to no one in particular. She figured this would be the most opportune time to for her to take care of her thirst. "I'm going to go grab a can of juice from the vending machine. Do you need anything?" she asked, trying to be polite and she instantly regretted it.

Everyone wanted something and of course they all wanted different types of juices and soft drinks. She was not surprised that no one offered to help her gather them all or to cart them back so she left without another word wondering all the while how she was going to be able to maneuver her way back.

She waited in line with the small list she had created, why did rich people always have to be so difficult and inconsiderate? If Mori-senpai were available he certainly would have aided her. She wished the others could be a little more like him but if they were it would make what was so special about him less so. When it was her turn she began to deposit the mountain of coins that were needed to complete the transaction, following that she pressed several combinations of letters and numbers until her pile of drinks were sitting, one on top of the other waiting to be picked up.

She groaned out loud, this was the part she was not looking forward to. Bending down she began to gather the assorted cans and bottles in her arms, doing her best to keep a good hold on them. Once she was completely weighed down with her acquisitions she turned to leave. She only made it about halfway to the spectators stand before two of the cans slipped from her grip.

"Dammit." she muttered below her breath, she didn't know how she could finagle retrieving those.

"I'll get those for you..." she heard but she could barely see around the pile she was already carrying.

"Thank you." she said, truly touched that a complete stranger was bothering to help her.

The person moved to her side, so that she could actually see him. "Katsu..." she said barely above a whisper, completely shocked that he was actually here.

He smiled, though the expression did not touch his eyes. "I'm glad you're okay Haruhi. I didn't know what happened, I was worried..."

Haruhi frowned, had her meddling friends not gotten in the way she would not have to have this awkward conversation with him now. "I'm so sorry, Katsu. My friends... they..." she stopped, not really knowing the best way to phrase this. It certainly wouldn't sound good if she were to tell him that she was kid napped, even though that was the case. "they really wanted me to be here, they didn't exactly give me a choice and my cell phone got left at home, I didn't have a way to call you. I am so sorry." She felt that this was hardly enough but she did not know what else she could do other than apologize.

"I don't think your friends like me very much Haruhi..." he said, sounding far more disappointed than he truly felt. It did not matter to him how her friends perceived him, all that mattered was her opinion. He reminded himself rather harshly that the only reason her opinion mattered was to further himself, to make it to his goal of surpassing Morinozuka.

Haruhi pursed her lips, it was true they were not fond of him at all but for what reason she did not know. The only explanation she could come up with was they were not willing to let go of the dynamic that the host club had created but they were no longer in high school, they were adults and life was no longer the carefree adventure that her companions wanted it to be. To her, it truly never had been.

"Can I help you carry those?" Katsu asked, effectively bringing her thoughts to a halt.

Relief washed over her, "That would be great! They always want something but none of them are ever willing to help. Damn rich bastards..."

Katsu laughed, he took a bulk of the assorted cans and bottles from her grasp, lightening her load significantly. "You know, we're not all like that."

Haruhi nodded, realizing a little too late that Katsu also fell into that category "I know. Mori-senpai is rarely as self-absorbed as the rest of them are. Maybe it's all the years he spent doting over Honey-kun but he always thinks of others first."

The young man wanted to grimace or scream or do anything other than politely smile, the admiration was crystal clear in Haruhi's voice. He could not recall her ever speaking about anyone else in that way. Everyone always talked about Morinozuka that way, he was always being admired, adored, and praised. He hated it.

"Well, we should really get back. Mori-senpai is about to compete." she said.

The pair made their way back to the stands, when they arrived no one looked in their direction, except Kyoya who simply inquired about Katsu's appearance with a simple quirk of his eyebrow. Haruhi shrugged, not really knowing how to explain the other man's sudden presence.

"Hikaru, you got the canned coffee right?" Haruhi asked.

"Yeah" he replied without looking up, he saw the can appear in his peripheral vision and grabbed it. It wasn't until after he had opened it and taken a sip that he realized the hand he accepted it from had far too many callouses to be Haruhi's. His eyes swept up to meet the light brown eyes of a man he did not recognize. The man had several earrings in both of his ears and he wore a simple button down shirt and black slacks. His hair was very similar in color to his brother's but the style was somewhat different.

Hikaru was at a loss for words, "Uh... thank you." he said before putting down his drink and offering his hand for a handshake, "I'm Hitachiin Hikaru."

Katsu took the other mans hand with his and gave it a firm shake, maybe just a little too firmly "Kondo Katsu, nice to meet you."

Recognition flashed in Hikaru's eyes, this was the Katsu he had heard so much about and none of those things had been pleasant. "You too..." he said, without truly feeling that way.

Honey was on his feet in an instant and by Haruhi's side, "Here, Haru-chan let me get those." he said, grabbing the remaining bottles and cans from her grasp. Honey distributed the beverages to everyone then he turned his attention to the person that prompted his helpfulness, "Katsu-chan, what are you doing here?"

Katsu was never very fond of Honey referring to him in such a juvenile way but it bothered him even more to have him do so in front of so many other men. He shared a tight smile with the older, smaller man.

"Well, as you may or may not know, Haruhi and I had plans for this afternoon but when I stopped by her house to pick her up she wasn't home. So, I decided to come cheer on my teammates since I couldn't join them to compete." he explained his appearance at the tournament with relative ease.

Kyoya chose this moment to speak, a definite rarity for him. "How is your injury, Kondo-san? It's common knowledge on campus that you sustained some sort of injury right before the nationals. I am training to be a doctor, if you would like I would be happy to take a look at it for you."

Honey had to suppress the smirk that threatened to break across his face. Kyoya was basically calling Katsu's bluff. No one had seen any evidence of the man's "supposed" injury, in fact no one even knew where it may be located.

Katsu laughed nervously, "No, I had it looked at by a doctor last week, it's my wrist actually. He said I just strained it so if I give it proper rest it will be back to normal in no time."

Kyoya adjusted the frames on his face, "I see."

Haruhi took this moment to introduce Katsu to everyone he did not know, which was a majority of their group. With that complete the referee announced that the next match was set to begin. Katsu took a seat next to Haruhi, leaving her wedged between himself and Honey.

Mori took the stage opposite of Arima, in his kendo gear he very much resembled a true warrior. Haruhi felt a strong surge of excitement as she took in the sight of her senpai about to engage in battle with this other man. She let go of a shaky breath and sent up a silent prayer to her mother to give him the strength to prevail. She truly wanted him to win this so that he could receive the respect and praise he deserved for all of his hard work.

Katsu took a sidelong glance at the young woman that sat next to him, he did not like the shine her eyes took on when she looked at Morinozuka. What was so impressive about that man to her? What made her so infatuated with the things he did?

The referee spoke, "The final match between Ouran and Taiyou will now begin. At the end of this match, we will announce this years national champion!"

Everyone cheered, the room seemed charged with electric energy, two of the greatest kendoka in the entire nation were being pitted against each other.

Mori looked over to the spectator stands where his friends would be, where she would be. His breath caught as he noted the person sitting to her left... Katsu. This took Mori completely off guard, he had not anticipated the other man's presence and it put him on edge to have see him so close to her. He briefly wondered if the other man had arrived with his friends but that was an impossibility. Mitsukuni would never have allowed such a thing and he had not seen the other man before this moment. His instincts were screaming at him to go to her but he couldn't, he was obligated elsewhere, he was obligated to win this match for his team. He noted the other man's eyes were on him now, something in his gaze seemed severe and it set his nerves on fire. He wished his headgear wasn't on so that he could return the gesture.

"Morinozuka-san, are you ready?" the referee asked in a way that made it clear this was not the first time he had posed the question.

"Aa." he replied, more than a little disturbed that he had not heard the question the first time.

The two opponents bowed to one another, a symbol of their mutual respect. When they straightened out, they held their shinai's out in front of them and with the signal from the referee, the match began.

Arima attempted the first strike but Mori was able to deflect the blow easily with his shinai, in doing so he attempted a strike of his own to Arima's chest, however, the man maneuvered out of the way just before the impact could occur.

Mori quickly deciphered that Arima's greatest advantage over him was his speed. Arima was considerably smaller than himself and it happened to work to his advantage because his movements were much quicker and very fluid. Even so, Mori felt he could compensate for this with his strength and the power he possessed. Or at least he hoped that would prove to compensate. He just needed to keep his focus. Arima came at Mori again, this time instead of deflecting the blow Mori pivoted out of the way. Due to the speed Arima over compensated and stepped past Mori, leaving himself completely open on his right side. Mori quickly took advantage of the situation and conducted a perfect thrust to the other mans side.

"Point for Ouran." The referee said, his hand raised in the air indicating the side Mori was on.

The entire host club cheered, while Katsu sat with his arms crossed over his chest, his teeth grinding steadily in his skull. If Morinozuka gained the next point, he would win and it would only solidify in everyone's mind his status as the best and Katsu just could not bear for that to occur.

"Katsu, are you alright?" Haruhi asked, she couldn't understand why Katsu was not cheering for their team. Mori-senpai was displaying great skill and strength and now Haruhi had no doubt in her mind that he would win but Katsu didn't seem to feel the same.

He nodded, however, his grave expression did not change. He had to devise a plan and fast to throw Morinozuka off course. He did not care if he lost the national championship for his own school, if he had to sabotage his entire school he would do so if it meant that for only a second, everyone would look at Morinozuka the way they viewed him, as a failure.

The two kendoka took their positions against one another once more. Mori fully intended to end the tournament here, so long as he could maintain his focus he was fairly certain he could gain the next point and win the match. He could win the national championship for his students. Arima was a fierce opponent but he relied too heavily on his speed which caused his form to be less than perfect, just enough of an opening for Mori to strike again. As soon as one of those moments presented itself he would use it to his advantage.

Mori desperately tried to resist the urge to look over at Haruhi but he just couldn't. He gave a quick glance in her direction, she was still sitting there looking as beautiful as she ever had. She did not seem to be distressed by Katsu's presence so he allowed himself to relax a little. He would now be able to concentrate completely on his match.

This time Mori struck first, aiming a thrust directly at the throat of Arima's head gear. Arima deflected with his own shinai and pivoted around Mori where he tried to strike the left side of Mori's torso. Mori was barely able to dodge the strike and unlike before Arima did not overcompensate with his speed, he was on Mori once again, this time with a thrust. Mori spent most of the match on the defensive, which was decidedly uncharacteristic. He rarely ever found himself in this position but Arima was far more skilled than anyone he had faced in the past five years, easily.

Katsu's fingers balled into fists at his sides. To the untrained eye, Morinozuka was losing this round but Katsu could decipher his strategy. Arima's speed was his greatest asset but it would also prove to be his downfall. In order to be as fast as the other man was, it used a great deal of energy and his strength was slowly being drained away. Soon he would not be able to keep up the pace and Mori would easily be able to gain the next point. Katsu had to do something and he had to do it now.

Taking the canned soda he had, that luckily he had not opened he shook it forcefully a few times out of everyone's view and then he went to open it, pointing it in Haruhi's direction. If everything went as planned this would provide the perfect distraction so that Arima could make his comeback.

Popping the tab, the soda exploded all over Haruhi. Haruhi screeched, not only due to the temperature of the liquid but because she didn't expect for that to happen.

Tamaki jumped up and moved to Haruhi, instantly he had his hankerchief out of his pocket as he wiped away the sweet liquid that now covered the upper portion of her torso.

Katsu grasped Haruhi's hand and began to apologize profusely as if it were a complete accident. He did his best to keep his eyes on her face, his little stunt had the added benefit of soaking through the front of her shirt which now left little to the imagination.

"I'm fine, it just surprised me that's all." she said, her eyes wide as she looked at Tamaki. She found it sweet that he would cater to her in this way after everything she had done to him. "Thank you, Tamaki."

He smiled tenderly at the woman that still captivated his heart, "You're welcome, Haruhi."

Kaoru grumbled, "All my hard work, completely ruined! Oh, this was a really good casual look for you too, Haruhi. Come with me, I know a few solutions that might get the stain out."

Kaoru extended his hand for Haruhi to take and she did, "We'll be right back." Kaoru called behind him as they made their way towards the rest rooms.

"Point for Taiyou!" the referee called out. Everyone turned around in disbelief, everyone except for Katsu who took this moment to smirk to himself.

Someone had actually managed to score a point off of Mori-senpai? This was a definite rarity indeed.

Mori cursed quietly under his breath. It was his own incompetence that had allowed that, his own lack of discipline. One of the very first lessons one learns in kendo is to never take your eyes off of your opponent and Mori had broken that cardinal rule. He could not help it, he had heard Haruhi cry out, he was unable to simply ignore it, his head snapped in her direction to see what was wrong. It only took that split second to give Arima an opening to score his first point. Arima had struck his midsection hard, hard enough in fact to knock him off his feet and force the breath from his body.

He now felt incredibly inept from his place on the floor, there was no excuse for his lack of attention. Even though Katsu was very near to Haruhi and that thought did unnerve him, he knew Mitsukuni would not allow any harm to come to her. He should never have taken his eyes off of his opponent. Now the match was tied, the next point would decide who would become the next national champion and Mori could not allow the other man to prevail. He had to win this, for his students, for the school and for Haruhi. He did not think he could live through the shame of her watching him fail.

With his focus redirected to the task at hand, he felt a surge of determination to win. Returning to his feet he ignored the shooting pain that seemed to be originating from his stomach. He shut out all other distractions, for the first time in months he pushed Haruhi from his mind and focused solely on the man that stood before him. This moment was all that mattered, he could cater to anything else later.

Arima grimaced from under his headgear. He was well aware the only reason he was able to score that point was due to the distraction in the stands. If he could just get to Morinozuka before he got to him, he may have a chance but it would be close. The fire burning in his opponents eyes nearly made him feel weak in the knees.

The final, deciding round of the match began and ended in less than thirty seconds.

The referee took a deep breath before letting his voice ring out, "Point goes to Ouran, Morinozuka Takashi is the kendo national champion once again!"

Kaoru and Haruhi returned just as Mori landed a thrust to Arima's headgear.

"He won!" Haruhi screamed, jumping from the place she was standing.

"He won..." Katsu echoed Haruhi with none of her enthusiasm. How? How had he managed to do it again? Didn't this guy ever fail?

"Takashi!" Honey screamed and ran towards his victorious friend. "You did it!"

Mori removed his headgear and let a smile break across his face, one that he did not restrain. He was elated that he was able to bring his team the glory they deserved and Haruhi had been able to see him win.

The rest of the host club and Katsu made their way down to Mori who was quickly being surrounded by dozens of people wanting to congratulate him. Several journalists attempted to ask him questions, all seemed to be confused when the small blonde that accompanied the stoic youth answered all the questions that were asked. Eventually everyone relented, leaving the group of young people to themselves.

"Congratulations Mori-senpai, it was certainly a close match wasn't it." Katsu said, smiling all the while, that same cocky smirk that he always seemed to wear.

Mori leveled his steel grey eyes on the younger man, "Thank you." was all he said, not bothering to acknowledge the rest of the other man's statement, other than that he did not wish to speak with him at the moment. Truly, all he wanted to do was take a shower and lay down for a while. Now that the high of his triumph was ebbing away the pain from the he blow he had received to his midsection was beginning to radiate and course throughout his entire body.

"Mori-senpai, are you alright? You don't look so good." Hikaru said, moving a bit closer to the man. A cold sweat had broken out on the taller man's forehead and his face looked pale, ashen.

Mori nodded his head, "I just need rest, I'll be fine."

Haruhi did not seem convinced, she pushed herself up on the tips of her toes and pressed her fingertips to his forehead as she was not tall enough to reach her palm to it. "You don't feel warm but you should probably lie down a while." she said, before removing her hand.

Before she was able to completely retract the appendage Mori grabbed it as he had done earlier and gave it another gentle squeeze, "I'll be fine, little one." he told her as he did his best to smile through his pain. He did not wish to worry her.

The tall man brought her palm to his lips and pressed them there fleetingly, then he released her hand after a moment and walked away heading towards the front doors of the venue so he could make it back to his hotel, which was located just across the street.

Haruhi watched him go, her right hand curled into a tiny fist the spot where his lips had touched felt warm. She couldn't help as her forehead creased with worry for him as she watched him walk away. She bit her bottom lip, debating on whether or not she should help him get situated. She looked up to Katsu who was standing next to her, he watched the man go as well but his face was blank, devoid of any emotion at all. Haruhi shivered, wondering how the man could be so unaffected by his senpai's situation.

She shifted her gaze from Katsu to Honey. Honey seemed a little worried but not desperately so and she figured if anyone had a true grasp on how Mori-senpai truly felt, it was him. The golden haired boy looked over to his tawny haired friend, "He'll be fine Haru-chan. He's just tired and Arima did hit him very hard."

"Indeed he did" Kyoya interjected, "He's probably suffering from some internal bruising, which although quite painful, is not lethal."

That bit of information seemed to put Haruhi's mind at ease. She resolved that she would check on him in a few hours.

Someone's stomach growled ferociously, every pair of eyes settled on the smallest person in their group.

Honey laughed sheepishly, "Watching all that fighting made me hungry, I guess. Should we have dinner together to celebrate Ouran's victory?"

Tamaki cheered, "Yes! I think we should have Italian this evening. A romantic meal to celebrate a romantic warriors victory!"

Haruhi's eyes narrowed and she shook her head wondering what in the world Tamaki was talking about. "Doesn't anyone care that we're celebrating Mori-senpai's victory without him?" Haruhi asked, shocked and appalled by her friends behavior.

They all collectively shrugged and Honey said, "He would want us to have fun, Haru-chan! Come on, let's go."

"I believe there's an Italian bistro not far from here, we could all walk together." Kyoya said.

"Wait, I can't go. I look awful." Haruhi replied, gesturing to the clothing she was currently wearing. Despite Kaoru's best efforts he was unable to salvage her shirt due to Katsu's little mishap.

"I'm so sorry." Katsu apologized once again.

Hikaru smiled wide, like a cunning cat. "I think I've got just the thing Haruhi!" he said grabbing her by the wrist and dragging her along behind him. Kaoru stared after them for a moment, his brows coming together on his forehead in his confusion. Then it hit him, he understood what his brother was doing.

"You sly devil! I didn't even think to grab that!" He shouted, jogging to catch up with the other two. "Give us a minute, we'll be back soon!"

Katsu looked after them, completely confused. "What was all that about?"

Kyoya smirked, having already deciphered what the twins were up to. It was a shame Mori-senpai wouldn't be around to see it. He simply shrugged his shoulders, not caring to let Katsu in on the twins plan. It would be more entertaining this way.

"They always run off with her. This is routine." Honey said, busying himself with his cell phone. He sent a quick text message to Takashi, letting him know what the plan was for the evening. Moments later he received a reply, the one he had expected all along. Takashi told them to go along without him and to have a good time.

The minutes ticked by until finally both Hikaru and Kaoru returned.

"Where is Haruhi?" Tamaki questioned, looking around for their missing friend.

The twins grinned wickedly at each other before they moved to the side, revealing Haruhi.

Tamaki gasped, Honey oohed and ahhed and Katsu just stood stunned. Haruhi was wearing the dress that the host club had chosen for her the other afternoon, the very garment she would have worn had she been able to meet Katsu this afternoon for their outing. Her hair was swept up in an elegant, yet simple style with curls framing her face. The boys kept her bangs swept to the side but pinned a pale pink flower in her hair among the curls. They kept her makeup light, knowing that darker colors would detract from her natural beauty and from the beauty of the dress that she wore. Hikaru had also had the sense to bring a pair of matching shoes, a pair of white kitten heels. She looked absolutely gorgeous and for a moment everyone's eyes were on her.

"Haru-chan you look so cute!" Honey squealed, he wished Takashi were here to see her now. Any man would confess his love for her with the way she looked right now.

Tamaki eventually gathered himself enough to smile, he walked up to his ex lover and grabbed her hand. He bowed and kissed the back of it gently, "You look lovely this evening."

Haruhi flushed, she was hyper aware of several people's gazes upon her and she could not decide if she disliked it or not. "Thank you, Tamaki. Hikaru and Kaoru are amazing."

"Yes we are." the twins chorused, agreeing with Haruhi's sentiment wholeheartedly.

Kyoya just shook his head, not offering any commentary at all. "Shall we?" he asked.

Katsu still couldn't manage to work himself out of his stupor. His eyes were locked on Haruhi, he could not believe how beautiful she could be. Morinozuka no longer mattered to him, all he needed was Haruhi and he would have her. He swore it.

"You look incredible, Haruhi." He said and he reached out to run his fingertips down her face.

Hikaru stepped in the way, effectively cutting off Katsu's access to the girl. He hooked his arm through Haruhi's, "Let's be on our way then."

"Yes let's." Kaoru said as he took her arm on the other side.

Katsu did his best not to let his distaste for the current situation to show. He wished Haruhi was on his arm, not those two. He hoped to garner some of her attention while at dinner this evening, with any luck he may even be able to have her attention afterwards as well.

Their mismatched group made their way down the sidewalk, towards the charming little bistro on the next block. No one could have been prepared for what would occur that evening.

* * *

The national kendo champion lay across his hotel bed on his back, an ice pack was perched on the man's stomach. Arima's thrust had landed just below his rib cage, a deep purple bruise was already forming on his skin and he was just a little surprised by the size of it. He brushed his fingertips along his skin and hissed, just that minute bit of pressure hurt. Mori had to admit, he felt a bit like a wimp considering this was just a bruise but he knew this was not any normal bump or scrape. Arima had much more strength than Mori ever could have anticipated and there was now physical proof of that upon his body.

He shifted slightly, hoping a change in position would soothe some of the aching in his muscles. Now that he had triumphed he allowed his mind to wander to the one person it always did, to Haruhi. He wished he could have joined them all this evening but he could barely sit up in his current condition and he did not want to worry anyone needlessly. Mori was aware that he just needed a few hours to recover, to allow his body to heal itself and then his injury would be nothing more than an unsightly mark. He still wondered why Katsu had shown up and even though he had been congratulated by the other man he could tell that he had not meant it. If he was not interested in cheering his own team on at their national championship, why would he even bother to show up. He could only assume it had something to do with Haruhi. Mori did not like the other man's increased interest in Haruhi but he had no right to tell her who she should and should not involve in her life.

The boy groaned, he was severely conflicted. He loved her, this he knew and he thought he would be able to gracefully bow out should she choose to spend her time with another but that was revealing itself to be much more of an impossibility than he ever thought, especially if Katsu was the one she chose to spend her time with. He wasn't a bad man, there was just something dark within his soul, something that he was unable to pinpoint but he did not want Haruhi to be around it.

'_Tell her.'_ his mind whispered what his heart was already screaming. He wanted to tell her, lately it felt like the words were trying to claw their way out of his throat, he swallowed against the sensation. They had nothing in common, he could not offer her anything that could truly make her happy.

'_You have something in common._' his subconscious interjected and he struggled to name what that common ground was. When he could not provide a proper answer his subconscious answered again. _'Your blood flows through her veins...'_

The tall youth sat up abruptly and immediately regretted the action. He gingerly moved his pillows behind him so that he could sit up just slightly and ponder his last thought. So he had shared his blood with her, what did that matter? That was hardly something they could bond over, he had yet to even admit to her that he was her donor. Outside of this common denominator he could not think of any other similarities they shared.

But then again, he and Mitsukuni shared very few qualities and they were able to connect with each other on one of the deepest levels that human beings could connect. Perhaps he was looking at this from the wrong angle. He ran both of his hands down his face in exasperation. He looked over at the clock, hours had gone by and he had received no rest at all. Very carefully he moved to the table lamp on the nightstand and turned it off. He sank down to lay flat on his back once again, after a few moments he closed his eyes, hoping that sleep would come to him soon so that he may feel better in the morning.

Mori was just about asleep when he heard raised voices from the hallway just outside his room. He opened his eyes but sat still in the dark quiet of his room. He was not trying to eavesdrop, especially considering what the circumstances of the argument were likely to be. He had witnessed it several times while accompanying his father on business trips, other men who were not faithful to their wives would bring their mistress' along with them on longer business trips and a few times their wives had come to confront them about their cheating ways. This was probably a similar situation and he did not care to listen to such a thing. He was never able to fathom how one could be unfaithful to the one that they claimed to love. He would never do such a thing to Haruhi. He knew if she ever excepted him he would never desire another woman more than he did her. He would never need another to occupy his time and even though he thought people should have more control over their selfish, carnal desires he knew humans rarely denied themselves such pleasures.

"Haruhi, wait!" He heard from the hallway and instantly he perked up. It couldn't be, it must be some coincidence, some other young woman named Haruhi that the man was calling after.

The young woman spoke, sounding much closer than the male had, "I just want to see how he is feeling. You saw how he looked earlier, I want to make sure he's okay."

"I'm sure he's fine. He can take care of himself, you don't have to worry so much about him you know." said the male and this time his tone was a little more forceful and angry.

Mori slowly rose from his bed, there was no mistaking it, the young woman in the hallway was Haruhi, his Haruhi. It seemed Katsu was accompanying her and that thought displeased him, jealousy knotted and writhed in his stomach and he had to struggle to force the feeling down. Once on his feet he stopped, waiting to hear what would happen next. He promised himself he would not interject unless it sounded like Haruhi was uncomfortable or in some kind of trouble. He waited patiently to see what would occur next.

"I want to worry about him." was the simple answer that Haruhi provided, she didn't feel like he deserved anymore of an explanation than that. It was none of Katsu's business who she wanted to care for. Mori-senpai always worried himself over her wellbeing and now she was reciprocating. "If you don't want to, you can leave."

Katsu stood still as she continued on down the hallway towards her senpai's room. She looked like an angel in the dress those annoying twins had put her in. Dinner had been... less eventful than he would have liked. Several times over the course of their meal he had tried to take her hand in his own or whisper sweet words to her but each time he was thwarted by someone. The maniacal twins or the unassuming Honey-sempai, even that bespectacled boy, Kyoya managed to disrupt his attempts to connect with her on a deeper level. It seemed even the waiter was in on the game to keep him from her, he interjected several times to refresh their drinks and take orders. He wanted to tell her how he felt about her and it agitated him that she was so concerned about Morinozuka. No matter how nice he tried to be he could not seem to surpass Morinozuka in any way. Couldn't she tell he was trying to talk to her?

He tried again, running up to her in the hallway. "Haruhi, listen. There's something I want to say to you."

Mori quirked an eyebrow, wondering what Katsu could possibly want to say.

The brown eyed girl turned around to face the boy she was with, she had a familiar sinking feeling settle in the pit of her stomach. This was so very similar to several situations she had found herself in in the past.

"Yes?" she asked but in truth she was terrified to hear what he may have to say. Before now she could just say she didn't want to be in a relationship, she could deflect with that knowing it were true but now... now she would be lying because she did wish to be in a relationship, unfortunately, the man she wanted to be with did not know it.

"Haruhi... I know we don't know each other very well. I wanted you to accompany me to that film festival so that we could get to know each other outside of club activities but that didn't seem to work out." he shifted his weight from one foot to another nervously, "I still would like to get to know you because I think I may be falling for you Haruhi."

Haruhi squeezed her eyes shut tightly, this could not be happening. Not again. Why was it that the one man she ever hoped would confess to her barely spoke more than a sentence at a time? She did not reciprocate Katsu's feelings in any way outside of getting to know him better. She fully embraced the idea of them becoming closer friends but she did not want to be with him, not in that way.

She opened her eyes and repeated the response that she had given to the other men who confessed before him, "I'm sorry Katsu, I don't feel the same way about you and I don't believe that I ever will but I do want to remain friends if that's possible."

Katsu took a deep breath as Haruhi's words of rejection sank in. He wasn't even sure what he had expected her to say but this certainly was not it. He could understand if she had said they didn't know each other well enough and she wanted to take her time, that was why he had posed his confession in the way that he had, but she was not even giving that much a chance, she was just outright refusing him. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration, he knew he did not have the right to demand what he was about to from her but he had to know.

"Why won't you even give me a chance, Haruhi? I want to know why!" he demanded, his tone firm but not necessarily threatening.

From his place in his room Mori was debating, should he interfere or not? He didn't like that Katsu seemed to be forcing her to discuss this, she clearly did not sound comfortable. And yet he could not help the morbid curiosity that he also felt. What was her reasoning?

Haruhi's tenacious nature chose this moment to present itself, "That is none of your business Katsu. I don't feel that way for you and no matter how much time passes I will never feel that way. Even if I got to know you inside and out I would never return your feelings."

Katsu grit his teeth as her words tore at his heart, he wasn't good enough, yet again. He did not know why he was surprised by this development but he felt anger burn in his gut as he deciphered fairly quickly on his own why she would not be able to return his feelings.

Morinozuka Takashi.

"Why? Why does that guy get everything that I have ever wanted?" he yelled, his fists clenched at his sides.

Haruhi could see the way in which Katsu was literally shaking with his anger. It seemed he was less angry at her about rejecting him and more angry at some other man. She approached him tentatively, not wishing to startle him.

"Who Katsu? Who are you talking about?"

He ignored her question completely, he took a deliberate step towards her and pointed his finger at her. "You love him don't you? That's why you won't be with me."

The young woman's forehead creased in confusion, she had no idea who he was referring to. He couldn't possibly know of the feelings she held for Mori-senpai, she had not revealed them to anyone.

Katsu took her by surprise when his hands shot out and grasped the tops of her shoulders, his soft brown eyes came up and connected with hers and she could see the pain, the anger, and the helplessness held within them. This only served to confuse her more. "Katsu what is going on?" she asked again, this time a little more softly. She was trying to soothe whatever sort of pain he seemed to be in.

"Tell me, dammit! I promise to let you go if you just tell me that you love him. I know it's him, he always wins. He always succeeds at everything he does. Everyone loves him, nobody thinks he's a failure that he's not good enough. So tell me why he gets everything I've ever dreamed of? Tell me why he even captures the heart of the girl I love!"

Haruhi stood stunned, first he just wanted to get to know her better, now he was in love with her. She shook her head briefly, dislodging those thoughts so she could focus on this moment. "Katsu, I can't answer you until you tell me who you're talking about."

Katsu had enough, the name finally exploded out of him, he couldn't take it anymore. "Morinozuka! You're in love with Morinozuka, aren't you?" he yelled.

Haruhi's mouth dropped open in awe, how had he known?

The man's face twisted in anguish, it was true. Once again he had lost to Morinozuka. There was nothing he could do. He would forever come in second to that man. It was his destiny, to always be second best, to be the loser.

"Since you're not denying it I'll take that as a yes?" Katsu provoked, needing to hear her say the words. He was unsure why he felt the need to torture himself further but he did. He wanted to hear her say it.

The small woman swallowed hard and then nodded, "Yes, I love him." she said quietly. She was feeling an odd mixture of fear and sorrow, she was frightened of Katsu's reaction but she felt terrible for him at the same time.

Katsu seemed to compose himself after another moment, he took a quick glance over her shoulder. His face set into a deep frown, and he when he spoke it was low, almost a hiss.

"Very well then, I'm sorry to have wasted your time. Goodnight." He stalked off in the opposite direction of her, leaving her alone and thoroughly confused in the middle of the hallway.

"Haruhi?"

Her eyes shot wide open as her mind instantly registered his deep voice, how long had he been standing there, what had he heard?

She turned slowly until she was facing him, Mori-senpai was staring back at her a question clearly reflected in his dark eyes.

Haruhi opened her mouth but could not force any words to obey. She felt her body grow heavy as she began to fall to the floor. Her mind was unable to cope with the shock of recent events and she fainted.

Of course, Mori caught her before she could ever hit the ground. He held her gingerly in his arms, savoring the moment even if she had not chosen to be here voluntarily. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and inhaled deeply, indulging himself fully in the soothing scent that this woman carried, before he turned with her and entered his hotel room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Confession! Indirect but it's still a confession. The question is did he actually hear it? You'll find out in the next installment. Things are going to progress between these two fairly rapidly from here on out. I think the next chapter will certianly dabble with adult themes though I am hesitant to put a lemon scene in this fic. Rather, I think I will take it just shy of that, I don't want to neglect the physical aspect of the relationship between these two but I want to focus more on the emotional. Please let me know what you think and review! Thank you all so very much for your patience while I continue to try to weave this story together.


	13. Chapter 13

I'M BACK! I'm so very sorry for this extremely delayed update. The screen to my netbook burnt out and I needed to purchase a new one. I also apologize for how short this chapter is. I've had it drafted for the longest time. This chapter focuses solely on Mori and Haruhi. I've already started chapter 14 so it shouldn't take me as long as this one did. Thank you so much for your patience and continued support. Enjoy!

* * *

The room was completely silent, save for the steady breath of its two occupants as they slept. Haruhi was tucked into the vast hotel room bed, her arms splayed haphazardly around her, while Mori slept in the arm chair situated in the corner of the room. The scene was reminiscent of a time they had shared some months ago only this time they were not in a hospital but a hotel and the young woman was not fighting for her life. She was simply resting after a long, emotional day.

For a few hours before sleep claimed him, the tall man had just sat watching his companion sleep. He was still unsure of why she had lost consciousness and though he was worried for her he was glad to have her here, safe with him. He thought back to just a few hours previous, he was still standing on the other side of his door in the darkness of his room. Katsu's voice had grown loud and angry, he had been unable to mind his own business, he would not allow anyone to talk to Haruhi in that way, to take a stance of power over her. When he first opened his door and stepped out into the hallway neither of them had noticed his presence. He took in the sight before him, Katsu with his hands squeezing her shoulders, his face seemingly twisted in agony as he demanded something from her but Mori was unsure what that was. It took every ounce of his well honed self control not to take the few steps and slam the other man against the wall but considering he already had a hold on Haruhi, it was too risky. Then he had demanded from her, "Morinozuka! You're in love with Morinozuka, aren't you?"

He knew in that moment he ceased to breathe and his heart stopped beating. How would she answer? Why on earth did Katsu feel the need to pose such a question to her? What did it matter to the other man who Haruhi chose to care for. He began to grow increasingly uncomfortable due to the lack of oxygen but he was unable to breathe, could not will his body to produce the life saving function. He waited for her to answer.

Finally, he heard her voice, just the barest whisper as she answered his unorthodox question.

"Yes, I love him." she had said, her eyes downcast unable to hold those of Katsu.

In the next moment several different things seemed to occur. He felt air fill his lungs once again, his body thanking him for the sweet relief of oxygen as it filled his aching lungs. Katsu shot a cold look his way and Mori could not be sure of how long the man had known he was there. Had he wanted him to hear Haruhi's answer? What purpose would that serve?

Katsu took that moment to excuse himself leaving just he and Haruhi standing in the hallway but Mori knew this was not the last he would see of Katsu. The look in the other man's eyes was clear, they had unfinished business to attend to at another time. He turned his attention back to the small woman in the hallway. She was not facing him, still oblivious to the fact that he was even standing right behind her.

"Haruhi?" he asked, his voice quivering just the slightest bit as he spoke her name. He wanted to know what events had preceeded the spectacle that he had just witnessed. He wanted to know what Katsu had meant while on his vicious tirade but most of all what he wanted to know was that her response had been true.

He wanted to know that she loved him.

When she spun and her eyes connected with his he could see the fear and the shock held within them and then she had fainted, descending towards the floor at a rapid rate. He caught her easily and debated for a moment, should he take her to the infirmary or possibly get her her own room? He looked down at her face, even though he was worried she looked peaceful, her forehead was not creased with worry or pain, her skin was not pale or ashen. The dreadful memories of the time she spent in the hospital flitted through his mind as a grim reminder of what she really looked like when she was in pain. She was simply exhausted and needed rest. He could not bear to have her away from him now, a week had been far longer than he ever could have anticipated and now that she was here, close enough to touch and to hold he could not let the opportunity go. He kissed her gently on her forehead, that's when he felt the other man's presence. He had thought Katsu left but apparently he had been mistaken.

He turned to face the other man while still delicately balancing the woman he loved in his arms.

Katsu's face was twisted in fury, his teeth clenched and his shoulders shook with the force of his anger.

Mori's expression did not change in response to the other man's obvious resentment, he only displayed a cold indifference. Katsu was disturbed, that much was clear but what Mori truly worried about was whether or not he was dangerous. Did this other man pose a danger to Haruhi?

"What makes you so great? Huh?" Katsu began, his tone low as he spoke through his clenched teeth. "What is it about you that makes everyone love you?"

The tall youth blinked slowly, taking a moment to digest Katsu's caustic words. Was this why Katsu seemed so angry all the time? Did he feel he was inadequate? Mori could relate to that feeling. After Haruhi's accident and even now at times he felt inadequate, that he was not able to properly protect those he loved. However, he did not feel it was right to project those feelings of inadequacy or incompetence onto others, to blame others for his problem.

What made him so great, what made everyone love him? Were either of those statements even true? He did not know so he provided the best answer he could.

"Nothing." he replied because he thought it was the honest to God truth. There was nothing about him that was extraordinary or marvelous.

Mori did not say another word as he turned and entered his room, closing the door behind him.

He moved to the bed and pulled back the comforter and the sheets, he laid her down gently allowing her to gain the rest he knew that she desperately needed. He tucked her in snugly but not too tightly and a small sigh of contentment escaped her tired lips.

For a few short moments he wondered if he shouldn't wake her, demand to know what she meant by what she said to Katsu. He must have heard her wrong, she could not have possibly said that she did love him. Haruhi had never shown any overt interest in him at all, he was just a victim of wishful thinking. Perhaps his mind had played a terrible prank on him and planted those words in his head, she probably had not uttered those words at all. He banished the thought as quickly as it had come, if Haruhi did indeed wish to talk about this evening with him, she would do so. He would not pry or beg anything of her though he desperately wanted to know. He desperately wanted her to love him.

Haruhi looked absolutely lovely, he mused to himself as his eyes took in her form that lay just beneath the bamboo printed comforter. She wore a light pink dress, one that he had never laid eyes upon before so he deduced that it must be new. She wore her hair up, revealing the smooth, creamy skin of the column of her neck. He was able to trace the delicate curves of her collarbone with his eyes and then lower to the ever so gentle swell of her breasts.

He bit his lip harshly, willing his mind to stop the track it was currently running on. He had no right to sit here and ogle her this way. If roles were reversed he was fairly certain she would not be doing the same.

Mori closed his eyes and focused all of his attention on the sound of her slow, even breathing. The exercise worked to quell his superfluous thoughts and he soon found himself falling into the midst of a deep sleep.

* * *

Haruhi stirred early the next morning before the sun had even peered over the horizon. Her eyes were blurry and she rubbed the heel of her hand against the sockets, willing them to adjust to the dim light. She wondered where she was, looking down she could see sheets and bedding that she did not recognize and she could feel the softness of a mattress and pillows beneath her. Whose bed was she in? She didn't know how she knew but she could tell right away that she was not in danger, she felt no anxiety, just simple curiosity for her whereabouts. She scanned the room her eyes coming to rest upon the digital numbers of an alarm clock to her right. 3:15am it read, it wasn't even dawn yet. She reached over to the bedside table and turned on the small lamp that sat there. The small lamp illuminated the room in a dim yellow light.

She was now easily able to assess her surroundings. She was in a hotel room, though not the type of hotel she was used to. No, this particular room did not contain the standard linens and mass produced prints of famous paintings adorning its walls. This space was posh, modern and very comfortable. Considering the fact that it appeared to be only a one bedroom she was impressed with the size of it, far larger than any she had ever seen before. A large flat screen television was mounted on the wall. She never could understand why people felt the need to have such large televisions, she barely ever used the small one she had at home. To the left of the bed, a few feet away there was a door that she presumed led to the bathroom.

Haruhi continued her survey until finally her eyes fell upon the rooms only other occupant, the reason why she had not felt any anxiety despite not knowing where she was. Mori-senpai sat in a chair, his cheek resting on his upraised fist, his other arm crossed over his chest. He was slightly slumped forward, she did not know how he could find that position comfortable enough to sleep but somehow he had managed. She could not seem to take her eyes off of him, afraid that if she did this rare glimpse of him would be gone, never to be seen again. She could not recall any other time that she had seen him sleeping outside of the host club and at those times there had been so much chaos around her she had been unable to truly appreciate the rarity of the moment. For some reason, this seemed much more intimate, with just the two of them present. She shuffled out of the bed carefully and as quietly as she could manage. She made quick use of the facilities and she had been impressed with the grand fixtures in the bathroom and the large soaking tub complete with massaging jets. When she finished she made her way back to the room and once again her eyes fell upon its only occupant. He was still sleeping, she was fascinated by how still he could be, the only movement from him at all was the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. She moved constantly in her sleep, she always woke in a different position than when she had gone to sleep.

Haruhi truly believed that Mori was the single most captivating man she had ever laid eyes upon, he had such smooth skin, not a single blemish marred his handsome features. She wondered if that was due to the face wash he used or if he was just blessed with beautiful skin. She hoped it was the former, he was already nearly flawless as it was how cruel it would be if he just was perfect all around. The tawny haired girl continued her silent survey of her friend, of the man she loved. The bulge of his muscles beneath the thin, grey t-shirt he wore, the calluses on the palms of his hands, and his full lips.

So close, that evening in her kitchen he had been so close to pressing his lips to hers. Haruhi couldn't say what would have happened next because at the time she was not clear on her feelings for him but now it was different. Now she was certain of what would happen and even though she was unsure of how he felt about her she knew she would not regret her decision. Even if he did not return her feelings.

The girl let go of a shaky breath, she tore her gaze from his lips, they were becoming far too enticing. How embarrassing, she was ogling him while he was unconscious, she suddenly felt like a voyeur and she was completely disturbed by her behavior.

She moved away from him and the change in proximity allowed her to clear her head a little. She searched for the small clutch that Hikaru and Kaoru had forced her to carry along. Her observation of his lips seemed to remind her of her own and she was suddenly well aware of how dry they felt. Haruhi was able to locate it on the bedside table and she opened it to retrieve what she was looking for. She had refused to wear the lip gloss that the twins wanted her to wear so they conceded and agreed on a moisturizing chapstick. She applied a little to her lips and instantly she felt better.

Haruhi suddenly found herself wondering what Mori's lips felt like. She could vividly remember the feel of them pressed against the palm of her hand, how they were slightly rougher than her own but still soft and yielding at the same time. She felt that all too familiar tightening in her lower abdomen again, that aching yearning she felt when she thought about him and she was suddenly very uncomfortable. She wasn't sure if she could manage to be in the same room alone with him. Her mind was obviously running out of control and she was worried about what she might do. She was both furious and mortified that she could not seem to keep her thoughts in check, as if she were some kind of hormone laden teenager.

She heard him shift in his seat, possibly trying to find a more comfortable position. Her eyes once again found their way to his alluring lips and she licked her own in response.

"Haruhi..." he murmured quietly in his sleep and his deep voice seemed to strike a chord within her body and she felt herself drawn to him, almost as if a magnetic force was pulling her towards his form.

The young woman stopped before him and lowered herself to her knees. This brought her closer to eye level with him. He was just so fascinating, she believed he looked younger this way. Possibly because it was the only time his mask of indifference seemed to slip. Every now and again his mouth would twitch into a small smile or a light frown, proving that he did have emotions, he just chose not to show them while he was conscious. He muttered her name again and she mused for a moment if he were dreaming of her. She found that knowledge to be enticing, stimulating and frightening all at the same time. Was it a good dream?

Tentatively, she reached out her hand and ran the tips of her fingers down the skin of his cheek. She found that it was slightly rougher than she expected due to the slight bit of stubble that had grown in. She had never noticed this before and it gave him a bit more of a rugged edge that she didn't feel he truly had before.

Mori was a very deep sleeper she thought, he had not moved an inch even though she touched him. Feeling bolder now she decided she should take her chance now, she could not imagine herself having this sort of advantage ever again and she might as well make the most of it now. At least she would be able to satiate her curiosity without morbidly embarrassing herself in the process if he did not reciprocate. She came up from her place on her knees and brought her face just inches from his.

What was she thinking? This was crazy! Yet, she couldn't convince herself not to now that her mind had even vaguely entertained the idea. For all she knew he had never intended to kiss her when they were in her kitchen, perhaps he had planned to do something else, though she couldn't imagine what else would have happened.

She wanted to, she wanted this. She wanted to feel his lips pressed against her own, she desperately wanted to know how he tasted, she wanted him.

Swallowing hard, the young woman slowly moved forward, she closed her eyes and took one last shaky breath before she pressed her lips against his. The first thing she noted was the warmth. His mouth was incredibly warm and his lips were slightly rougher than her own just as she had noticed earlier when he had kissed her hand.

Just as she was about to pull away she felt herself being pushed back and down onto the hotel room floor. Above her Mori looked down upon her, his eyes sharp as steel, his breath coming in heaving gasps from his body. She barely recognized him like this and she wondered if she had startled him. She wanted to touch his face, to attempt to calm him down but he had her arms pinned above her head, he had some of his weight settled upon her so that she was unable to move.

"Senpai?" she questioned unable to do much more than that. He did not seem to register her question so she tried again, "Mori-senpai?"

This time she saw recognition flash in his eyes before he blinked twice. His face fell into the familiar indifference he wore and brought his gaze down to her face. He was completely bewildered as he took in his surroundings. Haruhi lay beneath him, her arms pinned above her head by his own hands, her chest rose and fell as she took quick, short breaths. Her eyes were wide, like a deer in the headlights.

He struggled to comprehend how they had gotten into this position. Was it possible that he had attacked her? No that couldn't be, he would never do such a thing to her. Hadn't he been sleeping?

Yes, he had. He remembered he had been dreaming of her, her soft skin, her smooth hair and then she had kissed him. Just a soft pressing of her mouth to his, like a butterfly landing on a flower. That was what had woken him up, it had felt so real. He could have sworn it had truly happened. His eyebrows came together on his forehead, had he lost his mind? He licked his lips, an absent minded habit that seemed to present itself when he found himself confused and that was when he noted that they held the very distinct flavor of strawberries. Where could that have come from? He had not been in contact with anything of the sort at all within the past 24 hours. He surveyed her a little more closely and that was when he noticed the light that shined off of her lips, as if she were wearing some sort of lip gloss. It was at that moment that several things seemed to come together in his mind. Perhaps it wasn't a dream, maybe Haruhi had actually kissed him. It would explain why he had been startled awake and why he now tasted strawberries on his tongue. There was only one way to prove his theory and he was although he was frightened of what her reaction may be, he was all too happy to try it out.

Mori removed the grip he had on her wrists but did not remove himself fro his place above her. He took his right hand and rested his palm against her cheek, hesitantly he swept his thumb across her bottom lip, just as he had done the evening in her kitchen. That was the night they should have shared their first kiss, she would have consented to him then, he was sure of it but they had been interrupted. There was no one here now to stop them. He felt a slight shiver run up his spine as that thought sunk in but... would she accept him now?

He continued to stroke her bottom lip, slowly back and forth. He felt her breath fan over the digit and he could feel the hammering of her heart in her chest. Her eyes were no longer open wide but now were slightly lidded. He needed her consent before he would continue. He wanted to know that she wanted him in the same way that he wanted her.

"Haruhi..." he began, he was trying to ask her if this was alright, if it was okay for him to continue but in this moment he just couldn't bring himself to say anything more than her name. His mind felt hazy and the air in the room seemed to hang thick and heavy.

The brown eyed girl's breath caught in her throat when he spoke her name, almost as if he were trying to pose a question to her. Was he asking her permission?

She was unsure but she decided to answer anyway, she nodded her head three times, hoping he would comprehend. God, did she want him to understand, to continue.

That was all he needed, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her gently. Her lips were soft and supple just as he imagined they would be. He debated internally for a moment before he decided to move further, he'd come this far and he would hate to waste the gift she was sharing with him. He swept his tongue across her bottom lip, begging for entrance and to his surprise she allowed the intrusion and returned his kiss enthusiastically. Her tongue wrestled expertly with his and he couldn't help as a small groan escaped from the back of his throat. He had long speculated about what type of kisser she would be, he always thought she would be slightly hesitant but she was far from that. Her kiss was passionate and intense, far exceeding his expectations. This woman was bringing him to heaven, he had never felt closer to God than he did in this moment. The flavor of strawberries danced upon his taste buds and he knew that he would never be able to differentiate between the sweet fruit and Haruhi from this day forward.

Haruhi's temperature had shot up about ten degrees when his tongue slipped past her lips and began to massage her own. Her body was practically aching to be touched. It had been far too long since her last romantic encounter, almost a year since she had last been with Tamaki but she had never felt this way with him before. Mori's mouth tasted sublime, like cinnamon and other spices she had never indulged in before. She had never felt more like a woman than she did at this moment and she had never desired anything more than this man and now he was satiating her desires.

Mori's hands moved from her face to run down the sides of her neck, he could feel her pulse as it thrummed in response to his touch. His hands moved lower to her hips where he held her against him, reveling in the feel of embracing her small body.

Haruhi wanted to touch him but she found that to be slightly difficult in the position she was currently in. She had an idea that she could use some of her training to her advantage. She brought her legs out from under him and wrapped them around his slim hips, pressing up she was able to dislodge him and quickly she had reversed their positions. Now she lay on top of him, struggling not to laugh, he looked thoroughly disoriented.

"Where did you learn to do that?" he questioned, pleased not only that she managed to successfully remove someone of his size from her but also that she was now perched atop him, her legs hugging his hips. He struggled to keep his thoughts in line, to not give in to his more carnal desires.

She beamed at him, "Honey-senpai showed me how. He said it would be good for me to learn."

Mori simply smiled, it was a good skill to know indeed. He was impressed. "Aa, it is."

Haruhi bent down and kissed him again, pleased that he seemed to be so receptive to her. Could it be possible that he felt the same way? She wondered why he had not questioned her about what he possibly overheard out in the hallway earlier in the evening. The shock of that had actually caused her to lose consciousness, was it possible he had not heard? Had she been mistaken?

She was unable to dwell on the question for too long as Mori's hands found their way to her sides, he rubbed up and down, the fabric of her dress was very smooth. He tore his mouth from hers and hissed through his teeth as she accidentally brushed against the wound that Arima had caused during the tournament. Curious, she gingerly brought his t-shirt up and gasped when she saw the dark purple, almost black bruise that covered a great deal of his abdomen.

"Oh my God..." she whispered, taken aback by how gruesome the bruise seemed to be. It was no wonder he had been unable to join them earlier in the evening, she wasn't even sure how he could manage to move now. Gently, she brushed her fingertips along the distressed flesh. He took a quick intake of breath, his muscles jerked at her touch but calmed quickly after that.

Her gentle touch actually seemed to be helping. As he looked up at her he noticed the tender look in her eyes he realized he would never be able to let her go. This was the moment of truth, he had to tell her how he felt about her. He had to have her and for the first time he actually felt just a touch of sympathy for Katsu. He had done the same thing and had been shot down, what if the same happened to him?

However, he knew he couldn't live his life wondering what could have been. It was necessary to tell her now.

Reaching up, he grabbed her hands in his own, halting her delicate caress on his midsection.

"Did I hurt you?" she asked, a touch of remorse in her brown eyes.

He shook his head from side to side, indicating that no, that did not hurt but the way she chose to respond to his next words could very well manage to do that. He kissed the back of each of her hands gently and then caught her gaze with his own.

"Haruhi, I... I... there's something I need to say to you." he stumbled on his words and grimaced internally. How was he going to command his mouth to speak the words his heart had been trying to say all along? He was far from eloquent, words had often been his enemy throughout his life.

Haruhi sat silently, patiently awaiting whatever it was that he may need to say to her. She was momentarily seized by panic as a thought ran through her mind. She could feel the faint trembling in his hands, he was nervous and she had an inkling of what he was about to say and she knew he was right. Mori-senpai was a strong and logical man, he was probably going to tell her that this was a mistake, that the two were not meant to be together. She knew that was true, no matter how much she loved him it meant nothing if he did not return those feelings. The only person he was capable of feeling more than indifferent towards was his cousin, Honey-senpai.

She struggled to stay where she was, she had done the same thing to several young men before it was only a matter of time before she was dealt the same fate. She could barely stand the feeling of her heart tearing in her chest. Somehow, as odd as it sounded, this was worse than when she had been stabbed.

Mori cleared his throat, willing his vocal chords to obey his command and form the words he needed to say. "Haruhi, I can't... I don't think I can..."

His words were cut off when she removed herself from him, she searched frantically for a moment before she seemed to find whatever she was looking for.

The young man sat up on his elbows, watching her silently as she moved about the room. His face gave away nothing but he was baffled. What had caused her to react like this? He was about to tell her that he couldn't live without her, that he didn't think he could let her go but he just couldn't get the words to come out right.

She moved to the door, her heart breaking in her chest, her eyes already filling with tears as she grabbed the doorknob.

"Haruhi, where are you going?" Mori asked, finally getting up off of the floor and moving towards her, he had one arm outstretched in her direction.

Haruhi shook her head fiercely, "No, it's okay I understand. You're right. I'll just go now."

Mori's heart jumped in his chest, why was she leaving? He couldn't let her leave. He couldn't let her walk out of his life but most importantly he couldn't let words fail him now, he could not let her misunderstand.

He grabbed her forearm gently, but firmly halting her retreat. Slowly he pulled her towards him and into his arms. He placed his large hand against the smooth skin of her cheek once again and forced her eyes to meet his. This was it.

He dipped his head and captured her lips in his own with a kiss that began gentle and innocent but grew more passionate and demanding as the thought of her leaving him crept into his mind.

The two finally broke for air, Haruhi's head was swimming. She did not know what to think. What was he trying to do? Was he trying to console her?

The young man took a shaky breath, "Haruhi... be with me." he said simply.

The brown eyed girl blinked owlishly several times, "Excuse me?" she asked, her mind not able to catch up with current events.

Mori grinned widely, he couldn't help it, he was desperately in love with this dense girl and there was nothing he could do about it.

"I love you." he whispered before taking her lips with his own again, not even bothering to hear her reply. His heart felt so light in all his life, like a weight that had been there since the day he was born had been lifted. He couldn't believe it had been so difficult for him to utter those words before.

When they broke from each other again the girl just stared at him. This couldn't be happening. Maybe she was crazy, or maybe she really had died that day when she had been bleeding on the campus of their college and this was just her own personal heaven. "Is this for real?" she whispered to herself but none the less out loud.

She was shaken from her daze when she heard the quiet laughter of the man she was with, she could feel his body vibrating from the efforts of him struggling against it.

"Why is this funny?" she asked, her eyebrows coming together on her forehead.

"This is real." he simply said, "Do you feel the same?" he asked, his voice tinged with just a bit of apprehension and sadness.

Haruhi gasped as she realized he had provided him with no answer, "I love you too, Mori-senpai."

Mori smiled as her cheeks reddened with her confession. She was adorable, she was dense and she was his. He couldn't be happier.

He shook his head, then placed a hand on his own chest. "Takashi." he said.

Haruhi couldn't believe what he was asking, the only people who ever called him by name were Honey-senpai and his brother, Satoshi.

"O-okay, Takashi." she said, trying out his name. It felt foreign on her tongue but she hoped that in time it would become more natural.

The tall youth felt a shiver slink down his spine when she spoke his given name. He was going to have to be very careful with Haruhi from now on, he realized. The way he reacted to her was more intense than anything he had felt before. He did not wish to scare her off by being too eager or aggressive. He needed to be aware of how he dictated himself, he was a gentleman, this he knew but he wanted to ensure things stayed that way.

Haruhi covered her mouth as a small yawn escaped. Chagrined, she felt the need to explain herself. "I guess I'm still a little sleepy."

Without a word he lifted her in his arms and carried her over to the bed. He deposited her gently on the soft mattress and covered her with the comforter. Bending down, he kissed her forehead before moving to the chair to settle in.

"Mori-se... I mean, Takashi. You don't have to sleep there." she said, inviting him in a round about way to share the same bed with her.

Mori quirked an eyebrow but made no move to join her. He was unsure that he would be able to resist the temptation that was Haruhi. They had just moments ago confessed their feelings for one another, he did not want to ruin it all by making a mistake.

"Sleep, Haruhi." he said, his voice low and soothing but still full of authority. He did not want her to experience another fainting spell. He rested his cheek on his upraised fist, taking the position he had been in earlier and closed his eyes. He hoped when he opened them again this would not reveal itself to be a dream.

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I hope this was to your liking. The rest of the gang will be making their triumphant appearance in the next chapter. Please let me know what you think by reviewing. Thanks again! :)


	14. Chapter 14

Hello all!

My apologies for not updating this story for so long. I know some people say life gets in the way and that is true but for me it was a combination of that and sheer laziness which is really inexcusable. So, this is me begging your forgiveness! It's not much but it's what I have so far. I lost some steam with his story but my recent one shot with this couple has rekindled my flame to continue on with this story.

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_**Chapter 14**_

_**Unfamiliar Territory**_

"Where could she be?!" the frantic blonde screamed. His violet eyes were bloodshot and he looked pale.

"Tono, you need to stay calm. Don't panic." Kaoru soothed, trying to console his distressed friend. In truth, Kaoru was just as worried about Haruhi as Tamaki was. She had disappeared hours ago, supposedly to retire to her own room but when Tamaki came by to tell her that they would all be going out for breakfast she was nowhere to be found. Katsu had not been seen recently either which made him leery. What if something had happened to her? He did not trust Katsu and it did not put him at ease to think that he may have met up with Haruhi. The other man had spent the better part of the evening trying to get closer to her and they had pulled out all the stops using every trick they had to make sure that he was unable to.

"Too bad she doesn't have her cell phone..." Kyoya said in an offhanded remark.

"I can't believe I didn't think to grab it when we picked her up this morning." Hikaru lamented, running both hands down his face.

"Picked up?" Kyoya questioned, quirking his slender eyebrow, he could have sworn it had been more of an abduction.

"Picked up, kidnapped, whatever! What we need to do now is find her!" he growled back at the seemingly unaffected young man.

Honey stayed quiet and looked thoughtful, he was worried for Haruhi too but he didn't think she could have gotten very far. "Did she say where she was going to anyone?"

Kyoya's looked up, his eyeglasses reflecting the light in the room and he began absently rubbing his chin, "Now that I think about it I do think she mentioned something about checking on Mori-senpai..."

Multiple pairs of eyes seemed to settle on the dark haired youth at once, most held looks of scorn.

"Couldn't you have remembered that earlier, Kyoya!" Tamaki bellowed, his face clearly construed his annoyance at his friends uncharacteristic yet strategic absent mindedness but the tension in his shoulders immediately began to dissipate.

Honey was the only one who did not seem irritated by this recent revelation, for him it simply meant another adventure. "Yay! Let's go visit!" he yelled, getting up and running out the door before anyone could really comprehend what was going on.

Kaoru came to his senses first and followed after his small, blonde friend. Tamaki and Hikaru followed suit quickly after leaving Kyoya alone in their room which was exactly what he had wanted all along.

* * *

Mori was torn from his peaceful sleep by a constant banging on the door of his room. He stood up, slightly disoriented and moved sluggishly toward the offensive noise. His eyes trailed over to the small woman that lay in his bed and a small smile touched his lips. He was thankful that she was still sleeping, that this disturbance had not woken her. For a brief moment he wondered if he should even answer the door, it was so pleasant here in this room alone with her. If he were able to he would just stay here with her forever but he knew that was an impossibility. There was also the mystery of who it may be, should it be someone he did not wish to see, namely Katsu, he did not know how he would handle himself. Truly, he did not like confrontation but should Katsu threaten Haruhi he would not hesitate.

Unlatching the lock he slowly opened the door though he was no longer hesitant, he could feel an all too familiar aura from the other side of that door.

The first thing he saw was a visibly upset Tamaki, eyes bloodshot and his nose running, the very definition of pathetic. He was quickly able to identify the rest of his friends. The only absence he seemed to note was Kyoya which was no real surprise. Tamaki opened his mouth to speak but only ended up in hysterics, blubbering like a hormonal teenaged girl. The twins tried to comfort him but more importantly they tried to shut him up, it was still early morning and they did not want to disturb the other guests of the hotel.

Honey smiled up at his cousin and though the tall man had not yet said a word Honey could already determine that they had found Haruhi, he could barely make out her form beneath the blankets and pillows on the bed. The small blonde quirked an eyebrow, surely his cousin had not shared that bed with her. No, he decided almost instantly, his Takashi was too honorable for that sort of thing but he could tell, even with Haruhi sleeping that something had changed drastically between his best friends in a very short span of time.

Tamaki seemed to snap out of his hysterics after a few moments, "Where's my daughter?" he demanded. With determined strides he tried to make his way into the room, spouting some nonsense about his poor lost daughter and how frightened she must be since they had been separated for so long. A large hand settled itself on his chest before he was able to enter and he looked up into the steel grey eyes of his senpai. Tamaki took the moment to assess him, the look in Mori's eyes was not threatening but it was hard and stern making it clear that he did not want Haruhi to be disturbed at the moment. Tamaki was suddenly struck by his own boorish actions and how considerate the other man seemed to be of Haruhi's feelings. Tamaki knew he had never been that way, knew he could never be that way. Though he did love Haruhi, he always put his own wants and needs before her. He could tell that his stoic friend was the complete opposite, that he would always make Haruhi his first priority. Always choosing her happiness over his own and in that way Tamaki felt that maybe Mori's love for Haruhi surpassed his own.

The excitable blonde took a step back and nodded his head in understanding.

"Is Haruhi with you, Mori-senpai?" Kaoru questioned, still not entirely sure. After all, the other man had not confirmed or denied their assumption that she was with him.

The tall youth nodded, "She's sleeping."

A collective sigh of relief was released from all of the men, save for Mori-senpai.

Hikaru's face reddened as he realized the implications of Haruhi sleeping in Mori-senpai's bed. Indeed, all members of their little group were curious as to why she had ended up there. Now was not the time, perhaps later there would be explanation about what events had occurred but even then Hikaru was unsure if he truly wished to know.

"Wake her up Takashi! It's time for breakfast and I want cake!" Honey said before bolting past his cousin and jumping on the bed.

Haruhi shot up in the bed, her hair disheveled and her clothing wrinkled.

She rubbed her eyes sluggishly, "What... what time is it?" Her mouth opened wide as a yawn escaped her tired lips.

"Good morning Haru-chan!" Honey exclaimed enthusiastically, instantly arming his most adorable smile just in case Haruhi decided to wake up in the same fashion that Kyoya usually did.

"Oh, Honey-senpai..." Haruhi's eyes scanned her surroundings quickly seeing all of her friends looking back at her.

Haruhi's face flushed when she realized what all of them must be thinking. She knew she had nothing to be ashamed of. She and Mori-senpai had confessed their feelings for one another if anything she should be happy. Instead all she could seem to focus on were all of her friends eyes on her and how uncomfortable that made her feel.

"What are you all doing here? Where's Kyoya?" she asked, hoping to get all of their attention off of her and onto someone else.

Hikaru spoke up, "We were worried about you Haruhi. Nobody knew where you were, the last time anyone saw you was hours ago. Look, Tono hasn't gotten any sleep!"

Hikaru thrust Tamaki towards the bed and Haruhi could see how bloodshot his eyes were. It did make her guilty to see how exhausted he looked and she did not doubt that he had worried about her. She didn't doubt that they all had worried about her but she could take care of herself.

"I'm fine." she declared a little more firmly than she had intended but it was just as well. She was tired of being here, all she wanted to do was go home. This trip had contained more commotion than she would have liked though she had to admit that not all of it had been unsatisfactory.

Mori could sense Haruhi's discomfort though his back was turned to her. He made his way over to the bed and picked up his golden haired cousin.

"Waaahhh Takashi what are you doing?" he kicked his legs and flailed his arms frantically. "Put me down."

"Mitskuni" he said as he set his cousin back down on the ground just outside the door, he sank down to one knee bringing himself eye to eye with the smaller man. "I think it's time for us to take Haruhi home."

Honey pouted but shook his head up and down indicating that he understood and accepted what his cousin was saying to him. "Can we at least stop for pancakes on the way home?"

Mori nodded once and mussed the golden hair on Honey's head. Honey scampered off towards his room to pack his bags for their journey home.

The tall youth ushered the rest of his friends out into the hallway and left Haruhi in the bedroom to freshen up and dress for the day.

"Thank you for coming." he said to the other men who had all become his friends and some had been his rivals in love. He was humbled that they would all make their way all the way here to watch him compete in his matches and show their support.

Since Hikaru and Tamaki seemed to have lost their voices, Kaoru spoke on their behalf, "It was no problem Mori-senpai. None of us wanted to miss our stoic knight in action! I'm going to take these two back with me, it's about time we all headed home as well. Hikaru and I have a meeting with a fashion designer to scope out their new spring and summer lines. See ya later!"

Kaoru grabbed one of Tamaki's hands and one of Hikaru's and led them back down the hall. Haruhi was safe and there was nothing more to worry about. At least nothing more he needed to worry about, he couldn't exaclty speak for Tamaki and Hikaru.

Kaoru could feel his brother practically dragging his feet as they walked away. His heart ached a little for him because for the second time the woman he loved had chosen another man. Kaoru hoped that someday soon a woman would come along and replace Haruhi on the pedastal that his brother had placed her upon in his heart.

"Come on guys, pick up the pace. You know Kyoya will leave you behind if you don't hurry."

The boys quickened their strides and managed to make it back to their room just as the bell boy was taking away the last of Kyoya's luggage.

The bespectacled youth turned to the group a mocking smile on his face. "Hooray, you made it just in time."

* * *

The journey back home took longer than Haruhi had anticipated. She realized that she must have slept for a majority of the time on their way to the arena yesterday than she had initially thought. The inside of the car that Takashi drove was dark, black leather seating with dark blue accents that ran along much of the interior. The tint of the windows was so dark that Haruhi would have sworn that it were midnight had she not known that it was late afternoon. Honey-kun was fast asleep in the back seat snoring softly as he clutched his pink Usa-chan to himself looking all the more like a child than he did when he was awake. He had eaten his weight in syrupy pancakes at the restaurant they had stopped at. Haruhi had taken note of what Mori-senpai had ordered, it seemed as though he preferred his pancakes with fresh strawberries and powdered sugar. He shied away from the more cloying topping options. She filed that away in her brain for later use. She wanted to know his likes and dislikes and as he didn't tend to talk much she assumed the best way for her to learn those preferences would be to watch his actions, to silently observe him the way he observed others.

Mori kept his eyes on the road his left hand on the steering wheel while his right worked the gear shift. Haruhi found herself more than surprised that his car was so extravagant. She was curious to know if cars were something he happened to be passionate about. She knew he enjoyed kendo and judo but she had always wondered if those were true passions of his or just activities he participated in because they were Honey-kun's interests.

Soft music played in the vehicle as they made their way back to the busy city, if she wasn't mistaken the genre was referred to as lounge music. Haruhi contemplated that for a moment. She had never thought about what music he preferred because he was such a quiet and reserved person by nature but truly it wasn't fair to assume that every facet of his life was complete silence. She couldn't imagine that he much enjoyed the frantic J-pop that Tamaki and the twins were so fond of. The music seemed to fit him perfectly. The music was beautiful, understated with a romantic sort of quality just as he was.

Haruhi stole a sideways glance at her companion, her boyfriend. The concept still felt foreign to her, she had been convinced that there was no way that he could feel the same way about her. That there was no possibility of him returning the feelings and that dark thought had begun to take root in her heart but he had proven her wrong. The brown eyed girl could not recall a time before in all her life that she had been more pleased to be wrong.

For the first time in a very long time Haruhi felt content but even so there was a small bit of trepidation that clouded her happiness. Everything would be different between the two of them now that they had openly expressed their feelings for one another. Granted their relationship wasn't exactly effortless before now but there were changes coming and she wasn't sure what impact those would have on either of them. Since their departure from the kendo venue he had not shown any affection towards her or shared any romantic words with her, not that she truly expected him to. She was curious to know what he was thinking now sitting beside her inside of the dark interior of the car.

Mori hit the lever to the left of his steering wheel to signal his turn onto the exit. He would drop Mitsukuni off at home first before taking Haruhi back to her apartment. He had felt her eyes on him several times throughout their trip but he wasn't much for conversation. He felt himself becoming increasingly self conscious of the fact that she may be unhappy to be with him right now, that she was bored by his presence. The young man wanted nothing more than to reach across the dark interior of the cab and take her hand in his own but unfortunately he needed to shift gears. He cursed himself now for deciding that a manual vehicle was a good choice.

It was early evening by the time he pulled up the long drive of Mitsukuni's home. The diminutive blonde was still sleeping when he parked the car. Mori couldn't bring himself to wake his sleeping cousin so instead he got out of the car and gingerly lifted him. He stopped at the passengers side window "I'll be right back." he told Haruhi.

Mori shifted Mitsukuni cradling him in one arm when he reached the front door as he pressed the doorbell. Several moments passed by before Jirou opened the door and greeted him.

"Good evening Morinozuka-san. Ah, I see you've brought the little master home. Right this way."

Jirou led the way down the winding hallways of the Haninozuka compound but even without his help Mori could have located Mitsukuni's room with his eyes closed. Throughout his life he had probably spent more time in Mitsukuni's home than his own, it had only made sense since he had been Mitsukuni's sworn protector and best friend since the day he had been brought into the world.

The tall youth gingerly laid his cousin down in the large expanse of his bed careful not to wake him. Mitsukuni grumbled something in his sleep and shifted to his side. Mori allowed a small wistful smile to pass over his lips and he watched his cousin for a moment. The realization that soon he would no longer be able to do this stung a bit. Soon Mitsukuni would be going his own way in life and Mori was unsure of what may happen between he and Haruhi but for the first time since he was born they would be distant from one another. Reaching down he brushed a lock of the boys golden hair from his face before he turned for the door and made his way back to the car.

Haruhi was still waiting patiently for him, her bright brown eyes met his as he slid back into the drivers seat.

"Sorry." he said as way of apology not only for having to leave her alone but also for his inability to make good conversation. He cleared his throat, "Are you hungry?" He was trying his best to be engaging but it was difficult.

Haruhi shook her head, "No I'm fine. Thank you Mori-senpai."

Mori turned the key in the ignition feeling slightly dejected as he turned out of Mitsukuni's driveway and headed towards Haruhi's apartment complex. He didn't want this time with Haruhi to end and he wanted to be able to make up for the monotonous silence he provided. He was also bothered that she had not called him by name. He knew that it would take time before she would do so regularly. He was determined to break that habit.

Even so, silence accompanied them home just as it had for the entire day. Neither party truly sure of what to say to the other.

Haruhi wondered what she could say to him. What was there left to say? They had already gotten the hard part over by confessing their feelings, hadn't they?

Upon arriving at Haruhi's apartment Mori was sure to act the proper gentleman as he opened Haruhi's car door for her and walked her up the steps to her unit.

"Thank you for brining me home Mori-sen... I mean Takashi." she began but trailed off embarrassed that she couldn't manage to remember to use her boyfriends own first name. She assumed that in time she would naturally begin to use his given name instead but for now it seemed to be a bit of a struggle.

A small smile touched her boyfriends lips, the first she had seen since very early this morning and it made her heart beat harder in her chest.

Mori ruffled her hair and turned to leave not really knowing what boundaries had been set between the two. Even though they were technically together now did that give him leave to kiss her any time that he desired? He was unsure and truly didn't want to have to ask the awkward question so he decided it was more prudent leave it up to her.

Just before he was able to take the first step down back to his car he felt Haruhi's small hand grasp his forearm.

"Um.. Takashi." the girl asked a furious blush covered her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. "Can I.. Do you think it would be alright if I kissed you goodnight?" She felt foolish for asking but she was unsure of what he would think was appropriate. He was not an overtly affectionate person and she did not wish to push him to give more than he was willing to.

Haruhi heard the deep rumble of his laughter, looking up she saw the amusement shining clear in his eyes.

"Aa." he said before lowering himself to her and pressing his lips to hers.

Haruhi leaned into their kiss feeling relieved and ecstatic. After a moment he finally pulled away though she could feel his disappointment that it had to end.

The tall young man ran his hand down the side of her face, "Good night little one." He turned taking his leave.

* * *

The remainder of the weekend passed by in a blur. Haruhi rushed down the sidewalk towards the coffee shop that she sometimes liked to stop at. It was Monday morning and she had woken up late for school. What was worse was that she had agreed to meet Takashi for coffee before classes began that morning.

As she rounded the corner her eyes fell upon his form, tall and graceful as leaned against the building looking completely at ease.

She bowed deeply in front of him, "I am so sorry senpai. I woke up later than I meant to, I couldn't seem to find my books for my law class and I didn't have any matching socks today." The words just seemed to rush out of her mouth and Haruhi was shocked that she had even bothered to divulge all of the embarrassing details of her morning to him.

Mori shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he did not mind at all that she had been late. He was just pleased that she had agreed to meet with him this morning. He wasn't particularly certain why he would think she may deny his invitation but he had still felt a bit of anxiety when he had asked her to meet him here.

Luckily she had readily agreed, he had barely slept last night he was very eager to see her again. The raven haired young man had replayed his first kiss with Haruhi multiple times committing each detail to memory. It pleased him to know that he would able to replay his memory in live action now.

Haruhi was now his girlfriend.

He held the door open for the petite young woman and they made their way into the cafe, the cheerful little bell rang above their heads. At the counter Mori allowed Haruhi to order first, she ordered her standard chai tea as well as a croissant. Mori ordered a large black coffee with two sugars.

Mori took note that the young lady who had attended them on their visit before was either not working or no longer employed at this establishment. Either way he was relieved, he did not feel that he could tolerate anyone being rude to Haruhi again.

The couple walked down the sidewalk towards the University in relative silence content just to be in the presence of the other. Haruhi offered some of her croissant to Mori which he readily accepted. She tore a piece of the pastry off and fed it to him, though she hadn't meant for the gesture to be romantic necessarily she couldn't help but notice the dusting of pink that appeared upon her boyfriends cheeks. Trying to quell some of the awkwardness that her mindless actions had caused she asked if he liked croissants and he nodded his head, a sign of his approval.

"I could make them for you sometime. They're relatively easy to bake." she offered.

A subdued smile spread across Mori's face, "Aa, I would like that little one."

Mori noted the unusual expression that crossed Haruhi's face.

"Is something wrong, Haruhi?" he asked. He could not determine a cause for her expression.

"I'm just curious to know why you call me that." she asked.

His brows came together on his forehead and his mouth turned down into a frown, "Does it displease you?" he asked, he did not want to continue to refer to her in this way if it made her feel uncomfortable. Honestly, it was just the nickname that came to mind when he thought of her. She was so petite in comparison to him he had thought it was rather appropriate.

She shook her head furiously, "No, no it's alright. I... I like it."

The young man reached out a hand and took one of hers in his own, her small fingers curled around his. The couple wondered what sort of looks they might receive when people saw them on campus with their hands clasped like this. Mori was certain that the kendo club would be pleased to see the two of them together, save for one member. Though Katsu was still a concern for him he would not allow himself to dwell on the issue. For the first time in his life he was happy and it was his own happiness.

As anticipated they received several surprised glances, some students whispered to each other behind their hands while others blatantly stared. Haruhi did her best to pay them no mind she had dealt with more incredulous looks when she was in the host club, it was Takashi that she was worried about. She didn't believe that he really relished all of the additional attention that he was getting. She looked up, craning her neck slightly to see his expression but as always his mask of indifference was firmly in place. If the scrutiny was causing him any discomfort there was no indication if it on his face.

Though all eyes seemed to be on them that morning no one made any verbal comment about their supposed togetherness. Mori escorted Haruhi to her first class and walked her home after classes had been dismissed for the day.

The next week passed similarly, the newly minted couple getting accustomed to one another's company. Slowly Mori became more conversational with her, though marginally so. She knew he would never be as outspoken as Tamaki and for that she was grateful. Takashi's quiet nature was a considerable reason why she felt the way she did for him.

Haruhi allowed herself to relax for the first time in quite a while. Simply allowing herself to enjoy the time that she was able to spend with the one that she loved the most.

Takashi surprised her when he suggested that they should visit Misuzu-san in Karuizawa for spring break. He mentioned that the hot springs may be a nice vacation for the two of them to take together. Haruhi didn't see the harm in that, it would be nice if they could spend some quality time alone together. Takashi was making her excited about the future and that made her smile.

* * *

Thank you all so much for being patient with me! Honestly, I'm a little disappointed that it took me this long to release a chapter that is so commonplace but I was really trying to wrap up this story arc. I think this story has about 10 more chapters or so to go depending on how much material I put into each chapter. I have one more story arc that I will be developing which will focus heavily on Mori and Haruhi's relationship developing further and how their lives are influenced by each others presence. I've already begun work on the next chapter but that's no guarantee that it will be out very soon. I'll do my best to post it sometime next month probably right before the Thanksgiving holiday. Please review! It keeps me motivated!


	15. Chapter 15

Hello Everyone!

Here is the next chapter as promised, please excuse the length of this addition. I got going and just could not seem to stop. There is a lot of information in this chapter as I'm trying to set up several story lines all at once. I'm deviating from the facts of the manga just a bit in regards to Honey but I don't think it will matter much. Before we go any further I would like to remind everyone that this fic was rated M for a reason. That being said this chapter does not contain a lemon and I don't have any plans to add one to this story. However, things will be getting a little heavy between two of our favorite characters so if that sort of activity bothers you, you may want to skip the last portion of this chapter. For those of you that do like that sort of thing, please enjoy!

_**Chapter 15**_

_**New Acquaintances**_

The magnificent blonde seen roaming the halls of the hospital was the subject of several of the staff members, nurses and even the patients conversations that day. The young man looked like an angel as he all but glided through the hallways in his white shirt, his golden hair glittering in the sun that filtered through the windows. The man's violet eyes seemed to hold a somewhat serene and sorrowful quality that only added to their other worldly perception of him.

Tamaki wandered aimlessly down the hallways of the Otori hospital. He had arranged to meet his best friend at the institution but upon his arrival he was informed by the staff that an emergency meeting needed to be held and Kyoya was required to be present. It would be another hour before Kyoya could meet with him. Not having anything else to do Tamaki walked around taking in the scenes around him. This place dredged up memories of his childhood and it was all he could do to keep those somber thoughts at bay. He recalled his mother's illness, how frightened he had been every morning when he woke up and snuck off to his mother's room praying the whole way that she would still be there. He could remember the paralyzing fear he would feel as he crept toward her room. He was always hoping that her illness had not stolen her away from him during the night. He remembered the unbridled relief he would feel when she would open her eyes and beckon him to her. Tamaki could still imagine the feeling of her warm arms wrapped around him in the early morning hours and the sound of her voice as she cooed to him reassuringly.

Before long he had managed to wander into the children's ward. Tamaki was in disbelief at the sheer number of children that seemed to be housed here. He himself had been a relatively robust and healthy child, only catching the common cold on a few occasions but it appeared that some of the innocents here may not be so lucky.

A staggering sense of discomfort and depression swept over him, he felt the need to distance himself from it. He surmised that it had been nearly an hour since he began his wandering, certainly Kyoya would be finished with his meeting shortly. Tamaki turned back towards the reception area determined to put some distance between himself and this discomfort. He felt a slight amount of shame for feeling this way, he knew if Haruhi were here she would not run away. More than likely she would stop and speak with some of the patients, that was her way of trying to comfort those who may not be able to comfort themselves. He envied her ability to understand the average commoners problems.

Tamaki had nearly made it out of the children's wing when he heard a melodic voice floating through the hallway. The sound was beautiful and Tamaki found himself drawn to the sound like the sailors of old following the sounds of the sirens as they sailed across the sea.

He stood silently in the doorway not wishing to disturb the two strangers that the room held. A pale boy was propped up by several snowy white pillows. Tamaki imagined the boy could not have been more than ten years old. The boy's eyes were closed and his hands were clasped together on his lap, he sat so still that it already looked as though he had left this world.

The young woman's song continued, her voice soft as the peel of bells. Tamaki was unable to make out the woman's features as her back was turned to him. She had long hair that fell to her waist that was the color of caramel. Tamaki moved to take a step into the room as he was no longer able to keep his burning curiosity at bay for another second.

He halted as the weight of someone's hand settled on his shoulder.

Tamaki turned towards the appendage and looked into the mahogany eyes of his best friend.

"So here you are, I have been looking all over the hospital for you." Kyoya allowed the barest hint of annoyance to tinge his voice. Truly it had not been difficult to find his wayward friend. All that Kyoya had needed to do was follow the path of stunned doe eyed women to know that his friend had come this way. Even so he wished Tamaki would learn to just stay put in one spot for a while but it appeared that was too much to ask of his excitable friend.

"What? Oh sorry Kyoya." Tamaki mumbled turning his attention back to the rooms occupants.

This struck Kyoya as odd, not at all the normal reaction that would come from Suou Tamaki. Usually he would be in hysterics at the mere thought of Kyoya being upset with him. Kyoya's eyes turned towards the object of Tamaki's attentions. His brow quirked up in interest, he folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the door frame just observing his friend and indulging himself in the woman's sweet voice.

The young woman's song concluded and the small boy opened his eyes. The circles beneath his eyes were so dark they looked like bruises.

"Ootori-san." the small boy said, his voice high and melodic. The woman in the room turned towards the door as well, her eyes were wide with surprise at the unexpected guests.

Kyoya inclined his head and pushed himself off the doorframe, he took a step into the room. "Daisuke-kun, how are you feeling today?" he questioned his cool voice warmed up just a tad.

A smile broke across Daisuke's face, "I feel rather well today Ootori-san. Sister says I might be able to sit in the courtyard outside. She's promised to read me a story, haven't you?"

The woman's eyes flickered to Kyoya, uncertainty rang clear in her expression.

"I told him I would have to ask one of the doctors first, his condition is already so fragile. Do you think it would be alright to take him out Ootori-san? Just for a few minutes, so that he can get some fresh air."

Kyoya moved towards the bed and asked Daisuke a few questions. He asked the boy how his breathing had been today and when his last coughing fit had been.

For the first time since coming upon this room Tamaki's eyes left the form of the woman and the child and moved to his friend. He watched as Kyoya removed a stethoscope from a nearby drawer and pressed it to several spots on the boys chest and back as he asked the boy to take deep breaths. Tamaki saw Kyoya's eyebrows come together on his forehead in concern but the expression was quickly erased.

After the short examination Kyoya turned to the woman in the room, "Ren-san, I don't think it would be a problem but of course I will have to consult with Daisuke-kun's doctor as I'm not yet a practicing doctor. I'll request that the doctor personally stop by within the next hour or so that the two of you can enjoy some of the afternoon out-of-doors." Kyoya returned the stethoscope to its rightful place.

Ren blushed, "Of course Ootori-san. I often forget that you aren't yet a doctor. You already carry yourself with the poise and authority of a doctor. Thank you very much for your time."

Kyoya smiled amiably, these were the times where he truly felt his worth. When he was able to help others and gain the praise that he had always secretly craved from his father.

Kyoya took note of Tamaki's stunned silence upon seeing Ren. The woman was truly lovely, her long hair fell in waves to her waist and her eyes were bright and honest. Her eyes reminded Kyoya very much of a certain other woman that they both knew and he wondered if Tamaki had made the same connection. You could read every emotion that ever passed through Ren through her eyes. It appeared as though his friend was quite taken by her.

The bespectacled youth nudged Tamaki with his elbow, "Come on Tamaki. I don't have all day to fiddle around with you"

Tamaki shook himself from his reverie finally turning his attention to his friend.

"Right, of course! Let's be on our way then." Tamaki said before clumsily walking out the door still dazed by his encounter with the young woman that Kyoya had identified as Ren.

The pair walked in silence to the waiting car that would take them to french bistro downtown that Tamaki fancied so much. Kyoya began to worry when they had reached the restaurant and Tamaki had still not spoken a word.

The bespectacled youth released an exasperated sigh, he wasn't sure what the problem was but he knew his friend would not stop sulking until he talked about it.

"What is it, Tamaki?" he asked and braced himself for the onslaught.

Tamaki did not speak right away as the question he wanted to ask was difficult. He cleared his throat and asked, "Kyoya... what is wrong with that boy? Daisuke-kun?"

Kyoya did not allow the shock he felt to cross his face that had not been the question he was anticipating.

"Daisuke-kun has leukemia Tamaki, it's a form of blood cancer. Children don't often get this form of cancer but it isn't unheard of." he trailed off not knowing what more Tamaki wished to know or if he wanted to know anymore at all.

"Well, he is going to get better right?" Tamaki asked hopeful.

Kyoya's mouth set into a frown, "The condition is treatable if that is what you're asking Tamaki. The form of cancer that Daisuke has can be treated with chemotherapy and has about an 85% survival rate in children if they are treated early and properly."

Tamaki allowed a relieved sigh to pass his lips, "Well that's good to hear! He will feel better soon."

Kyoya frowned, shaking his head. "No, Tamaki. Treatment is available but it's very expensive... Ren-san cannot afford Daisuke-kun's treatment any longer. Without it, his prognosis is bleak."

Tamaki's brows furrowed on his forehead, "What do you mean Kyoya? Why aren't you helping them."

The dark haired young man struggled to suppress a grimace, he didn't want to have to explain this to his friend, he knew he wouldn't truly understand. "Tamaki, it's not the hospital's responsibility to pay for his treatment. If that were how things worked the hospital would not generate enough income to even operate." he sighed knowing what the other man was probably thinking. "We do all that we are able to. Do you understand?"

The blonde nodded his head looking dejected. He did understand, he knew that was the way the world worked. What Kyoya said was logical and practical but somehow it still didn't seem fair. Tamaki was unable to understand why innocent people had to suffer so much.

The young men ate their meals in silence, neither wishing to converse with the other any longer. Kyoya silently cursed the meeting he had been forced to sit through this morning. The discussion had been about basic hospital operations and what technologies they felt they should invest in next. Kyoya had nearly been bored to tears, he knew he had some fresh ideas but now was not the time to present them. Later, when he could use his concepts to his advantage he would reveal his plans to other associates.

Tamaki's mind was made up by the time they departed, he was going to learn all that he could about Ren and her family. He would find a way to get Daisuke the treatment he needed. What was the point of being privileged if you weren't able to help others?

* * *

Honey couldn't help but smile as he enjoyed the ride in his car to the train station. It felt as though thousands of tiny butterflies were fluttering in his stomach.

Honey felt an odd sense of guilt and trepidation as his driver weaved through the dense traffic. He knew that what he was doing was in no way wrong but he had kept this a secret from all of his friends, including Takashi.

He was in love and none of his friends knew it. The young man wasn't ashamed of the way he felt for her, he didn't want her to feel as though he were withholding the status of their relationship from his friends because he didn't want them to know. He just wasn't ready to share his happiness with anyone else.

Honey was aware of how selfish he was being but it was really nothing new. Whenever he found something he truly loved it was difficult for him to allow others anywhere near it. He was terrible at sharing.

Initially, the woman he had grown to love had frightened him because she was different. Her interests, though harmless, were unusual and shocking to those that were unfamiliar with them. She was socially awkward and had not known how to properly convey her feelings. Yet she had continued to try and eventually she had clearly told him how she felt. Her clumsy forms of affection were endearing to him, she had made considerable progress since they day he had first met her.

He waited as patiently as possible as his driver came around to his door and opened it for him. The small man nodded to his driver then made his way through the hustle and bustle of the train station with his destination just ahead of him. Years ago, before Haruhi had ever come into their lives he would have been unable to navigate through the station. Before Haruhi he had never done anything on his own or bothered to learn how to. He had staff at his home that took care of his every whim assuming Takashi had not done so before them and though he was loathe to admit it now, he knew that his world had been just as small as his other friends before he had joined the host club. Now he was allowing his world to expand as he left himself open to new experiences and relationships.

Honey arrived at the platform though the train had not yet arrived, he was roughly ten minutes early. He didn't mind the wait, he had packed himself a snack to help combat any boredom that he may feel. He unwrapped the snack cake and took a bite enjoying the sweet butter cream and soft golden cake that filled his mouth.

As he stood he could not help but notice that he had garnered someone's attention. He had felt the man's eyes on him before he ever spoke though Honey made no indication that he was aware of his presence.

The man that approached him was middle aged, mid-forties if Honey had to guess. He was dressed in a black suit, glasses obscured his eyes from view and he carried a black briefcase.

An amiable smile settled on his face as he crouched down to eye level with Honey. "Are you lost little boy?" he requested, his voice soft and sweet. The smile on the man's face caused creases to form at the corners of his eyes.

Honey's stomach twisted into a knot though he was unafraid. He knew he could pummel this man into next week if he so desired. Honey was curious as to why this man had stopped to talk to him. He obviously did not realize that he was a full grown man.

He shook his head and decided to play along for a moment, giving the man the benefit of the doubt that he really was just trying to be helpful. "No, I'm waiting for my mommy to get back. She just went to get me some juice."

The older man nodded his head, "Is that so? What a big boy you are waiting for your mommy so patiently. I see you like sweets. You know, my sister owns a bakery just around the corner. Would you like to go there with me? I'm sure she would love to feed a cute little boy like you." he reached out and tickled Honey's stomach.

Honey was barely able to contain the revulsion he felt well up inside of him. This man was a predator looking to prey on young children. Sometimes Honey felt his unusually young looks were both a blessing and a curse.

He mustered up an exaggerated smile and placed his hands beneath his chin in a very childish gesture, "Really mister?! I want to go!"

"Excellent, come along with me then." the man held his hand out for Honey to take and he did.

He allowed himself to be led away from the platform where his beloved would arrive. Honey was well aware that there was no bakery near this station. He knew every pastry chef in nearly all of Japan at this point. As they reached the entrance and exit area where the security team worked Honey used his other hand to grab the man by the elbow and slammed him face first onto the ground. Honey bent the man's arm behind his back and held him there as a commotion started around them. The security team were rushing towards them yelling for him to release the other man.

The man was screaming at Honey calling him a freak, saying a child shouldn't be so strong.

He waited until the security team finally reached them before answering, "Well I'm not exactly a child you see, I'm a college student. I believe I'm older than what suits your tastes though my looks seemed to be right up your alley."

Honey felt a small sense of satisfaction well up inside of him when he saw the other man's eyes widen as he truly began to grasp the situation he was now in.

"Hey kid, who are you? Why are you roughing people up like that? Let go of him right now!" The security guard yelled.

Honey cleared his throat but made no move to release the man, "My name is Haninozuka Mitsukuni. You may have heard my name before, my father runs a well-known dojo. This man tried to solicit me, he assumed I was a child."

The security guards expression grew dark, "What are you saying? Is what this young man says true?"

The man on the ground shook his head, "No, no I was simply trying to help him. I thought he was a lost child."

"Oh, is that why you invited me to eat sweets at your sisters bakery? You never did mention what the name of her shop was. Would you mind telling us?" Honey replied.

The man sputtered, trying to come up with a quick answer clearly not anticipating the question.

In the end the security guards took the man in for questioning, Honey hoped they would find something to put the man behind bars where he belonged.

On his way back to the platform Honey did his best to put his bitter feelings aside. He didn't want to distress his companion when she arrived.

He reached the platform just as the train was pulling in, the doors to the train opened and people began to flood the platform going in all directions. He saw her before she was able to spot him. Seeing her relieved some of the heaviness that had settled in his heart due to the days events. He watched patiently as her large dark eyes scanned her surroundings, searching for him.

Their eyes met and he watched as her smile brightened her features. She was clutching the Usa-chan that he had gotten for her. The stuffed animal was nearly identical to his own except it was yellow with brown eyes. She hurried over to him with her luggage dragging behind her.

"Hello Reiko-chan." he said cheerily when she finally reached him. "How was your trip to Paris?"

She blushed in response, "It was wonderful, the catacombs were magical and I learned some very powerful new curses. Would you like to be my test subject?"

Honey couldn't contain his laughter, "Oh, I don't know about that Reiko-chan. How about we discuss that over dinner?"

"I would like that very much Mitsukuni-kun."

The small man took her hand in his feeling content and complete in a way that he never had before in his life. Reiko was the unlikeliest of lovers but he adored her in spite of himself.

* * *

Haruhi shuffled around the kitchen searching for the spices that she needed to for the dish she was preparing. Takashi had offered to take her to an up scale restaurant but she had declined his proposition. She had not wanted to inconvenience him in that way but she had been interested in the concept of a date night. It had not taken him long to agree to allow her to prepare him a meal.

She took a deep breath when she was unable to find what she was looking for. She was on edge and she could not find her curry powder. After debating on what she would make for him she had decided on a traditional curry. Haruhi knew there was no reason for her to feel so tense, Takashi had eaten her cooking before on more than one occasion but it had always been in a group setting. This was much more intimate and all she wanted was for him to enjoy the food she prepared and her company.

The petite woman closed her eyes and ran her hands down her face in an effort to calm herself. She silently counted to ten, it was a method she had learned to use when Tamaki was being exceptionally annoying and it always seemed to work. She opened her eyes and nearly jumped when she noticed that her boyfriend had joined her by her side.

The look in his eyes was curious though he didn't voice any question.

She sighed, "It's nothing, I just can't find the curry powder."

The tall boy moved around her searching through her cabinets before his hand finally closed around a small bottle. He placed it in front of her.

"Seriously? Where did you find that?" she asked in disbelief, she had looked all over the shelf that she usually kept all of her spices on and it had been nowhere to be found.

Takashi pointed two shelves up, "Up there." he said.

For Haruhi it would have been all but invisible as that shelf had been far above her own line of sight. She had been ready to pull out her step stool to examine the higher shelves but now she didn't have to. That shelf was just on eye level for Takashi. It bothered her that she did not know how it had gotten up there in the first place.

She was trying to get accustomed to having such a helpful partner in her life. Since her mother had passed away she had always been the care giver in one fashion or the other. She had been the primary care giver to her father, her friends and to Tamaki throughout their failed relationship.

She turned back to the simmering pots on the stove top and stirred the ingredients together. "Takashi, you don't have to help. You can go relax in the living room, it will only be a few more minutes."

He didn't say a word but she found herself surprised when she felt the warm brush of his lips against the back of her neck. She turned to watch him walk out of the room and into the adjoining one. Unconsciously her hand moved to the spot where his lips had touched. The small bit of contact made her feel warm and she could not suppress the smile that blossomed on her face.

The two finally sat down for their meal and Haruhi was pleased to see that Takashi ate what she had prepared with gusto. She delighted in the few approving rumbles that seemed to emanate from his chest during the meal. It filled her with a sense of pride when the food she prepared with her own hands was enjoyed by the people she cared about.

When they were finished eating she had tried to wash the dishes but Takashi had insisted that since she had cooked he could at least do the dishes. Haruhi looked on as he filled the sink with hot soapy water and began to scrub their plates and glasses clean. She marveled at the fact that he didn't even blink an eye at the thought of physical labor. The other friends she had made throughout her time at Ouran would have balked at the thought of hand washing dishes but Takashi took to the task readily enough.

The tawny haired girl marveled at his muscular arms, he had opted to wear a sleeveless shirt this evening which brought this prominent physical feature of his to light. Spring had fully bloomed and the days were growing longer and warmer though the evenings still held a bit of a chill. Only a week was left before exams and spring break. Takashi had not divulged any of his plans for the time that they would spend at Misuzu-san's pension. That would have made her anxious with Tamaki as he tended to have extravagant and often irritating plans. Haruhi truly treasured her personal time away from studies and she was confident that was something Takashi understood. He had always had a firm grasp on what she desired in a way that no other man ever had.

Haruhi dried the dishes as Takashi washed them and in no time the kitchen was wiped down and clean. She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was only 8 o'clock, still relatively early in the evening. She wasn't really ready to call it a night so she suggested to Takashi that they could watch a movie. Though her outing with Katsu had never come to fruition she was still interested in watching a French foreign film. He agreed to the suggestion easily and the two settled down on the couch together.

Takashi sat next to Haruhi and put his arm around her shoulder but kept an otherwise respectable distance from the petite woman beside him. The opening credits began to roll and he noticed that the lights were still on in the room. He leaned over Haruhi and turned out the lamp on the side table. In the process of pulling his arm back to his side he accidentally brushed against Haruhi's chest and his motions halted for a fraction of a second upon realizing what he had done. He peeked at her from the corner of his eye and in the dim light he could not be sure of what she was thinking. After a few seconds of scrutiny he determined either she had not felt the accidental touch or she did not think it was worth complaining about. All he was certain of was the burning embarrassment he felt.

Haruhi felt the gentle caress of her boyfriends hand against her chest and the tension that settled in him shortly thereafter. She was fairly certain that the touch had been unintentional yet she could feel her heart pounding in her chest and the blood coursing throughout her body. She chanced a quick glance at him and she was barely able to make out the blush on his cheeks.

The girl reached out and placed her hand upon his knee, a gesture to let him know that she was not upset or disturbed by his touch.

Takashi tensed as he felt her small hand settle upon his knee. The touch was innocent and gentle but his senses were heightened by the mishap that had occurred moments earlier. He desperately wanted her to remove her hand, to give him just a little space to cool down. He knew it was irrational that he was reacting in such a way to such a benign touch but he was unable to quell the reaction. He cleared his throat and removed his arm from around her slim shoulders, he crossed one leg over the other effectively dislodging her hand and ending the physical contact between them.

Haruhi shivered at the loss of his touch and the warmth of his body. It was fifteen minutes into the movie and she could honestly say that she had not truly watched a moment of the film. She was too preoccupied about what was happening between she and Takashi. Sitting in the dark she seemed to be hyper aware of how close she was and she desperately wanted to kiss him.

They had not yet consummated their relationship physically. Haruhi did not think there was anything wrong with that, she did not wish to rush any aspect of their relationship as she was happy just to spend time with him but it was a bit frustrating. On the rare occasions that they had completely alone since they became an official couple they kissed but Takashi always seemed cautious, like he was holding something back. His hands always stayed in the safe zone below her breasts and above her waist line. Truth be told, she would not mind if his hands would wander every so slightly in one direction or the other.

There was a piece of Haruhi that was chagrin at the thoughts she had towards Takashi. The wanton feelings that she had been subject to while in his company were a bit uncomfortable. She had never been an overtly physical person but it had been over a year since her last romantic encounter and she could not deny the intense attraction for the man beside her.

Deciding she did not agree with the hands off approach that he seemed to be taking, she took it upon herself to bring them closer.

Haruhi shifted her body on the couch so that she was able to rest her head on his shoulder. It seemed as though he would allow this and he moved his arm to wrap around her once more. She was able to settle in and try to salvage what was left of the film.

He had tried to put a little distance between them but it appeared as though his little one would not allow it. Takashi gave in a bit too easily, he wrapped his arm around her once again and settled his large hand on her side. He could feel the heat radiating off of her skin, a portion of her shirt had ridden up when she had shifted on the couch and his fingertips were barely touching the exposed skin.

Takashi found himself helpless to fight against the temptation to touch her, slowly he ran the tips of his fingers up and down her side. Each run of his fingers up her body revealed a bit more of her heated flesh until eventually they ran across the raised blemish.

She recoiled from his touch almost instantly and looked at him wide-eyed.

"Takashi... no... I'm sorry."

He struggled to repress how affected he was by her reaction. Was his touch so disturbing to her?

He stood and rubbed the back of his neck to shake off some of his embarrassment.

"I think I should go." he said, careful not to let his distress leak into his voice.

Haruhi's heart dropped, she could feel her face flooding with color. He misunderstood her discomfort, it wasn't that she did not wish for him to touch her. She was merely embarrassed by her scar.

"Wait, Takashi." she said, she grabbed his hand gently and squeezed. "Please don't leave. I just..."

Her words died on her tongue as he took her face in his large hands and kissed her full on the lips. She opened her mouth for him, allowing him entrance without provocation and he quickly took advantage of the opportunity. He moved his hands lower and settled them on the small of her back. As their kiss deepened he pulled her slender body to his until their bodies were flush.

Haruhi calmed down and allowed herself to revel in the delightful taste of her lovers mouth. She could feel his large hands rubbing circles on the small of her back and her body was reacting. Her heart rate accelerated and she could feel the heat spread through her entire being. There was a throbbing just south of her belly that was not all together uncomfortable and it was one that she was all too familiar with now.

The tall young man was waging a war inside himself, one that his rational and decidedly gentlemanly side was rapidly losing. He lifted the back of her shirt and allowed himself the pleasure of feeling her smooth skin beneath his calloused hands. When he was certain that she was comfortable with his touch and that he was not moving too quickly he shifted his touch to brush against her sides once more.

She attempted to jerk back from him but he held her to him and continued his ministrations. After a few moments she conceded and he continued. He made sure he paid special attention to that part of her that she seemed so ashamed of. If anything the jagged scar made his love for her stronger, Haruhi was a fighter and she had not let someone so hateful take her from this world. It made him feel proud of her.

The small woman lifted her arms to allow her lover to remove her thin cotton tshirt. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she should be protesting this but her resolve was crumbling and she could not bring herself to care. She loved Takashi and he loved her, for the first time in her life she was of the mind-set that love was all that mattered.

Takashi pulled away from her briefly just long enough to remove his own tshirt and pick her up off of her feet. She caught on quickly as she wrapped her legs around his waist, she kissed him softly on the side of the neck and smiled against his skin when she heard the low rumble of approval emanate from him.

It took Haruhi a moment to realize that he was moving them to her bedroom. Her stomach knotted with anticipation and nerves.

The young man didn't give his love a moment to cool down, as soon as she was resting safely on the bed he climbed atop her and continued his assault on her petite body.

His hands roamed up her body and brushed lightly against her small chest. He felt her sharp intake of breath and her reaction made him smile into their kiss. Takashi knew that he was reaching his breaking point, soon he would reach the brink of his self-control and his instincts would win over his typical calm and collected demeanor.

Takashi broke away from their kiss and looked down at his lover. Haruhi's cheeks were flushed pink with color and her breathing was slightly labored. He could see the question reflected in her eyes.

"Haruhi... we can stop now if you want to but if we keep going... I'm not sure that I'll be able to stop."

Haruhi's eyes widened as his words sunk in and she processed the meaning behind those words.

"Are you saying you want me, Takashi?" she whispered, abashed by even asking the question.

"Yes." he said. He shifted atop her slightly, the question had made him uncomfortable but his answer had been the truth.

The answer was so simple and yet it spoke volumes to her. Despite all of her flaws both physical and otherwise he still wanted her in spite of it all. Haruhi reached up and took his face in both of her small hands.

"I love you, Takashi." she said and then she kissed him.

Takashi wanted to show her how much he cherished her. He was determined to show her that she had surpassed all others to become the most precious person on the face of the earth to him. She had exceeded Mitsukuni to whom he had dedicated most of his life to, now he wanted to dedicate whatever remained of his life to Haruhi.

The next morning Takashi shifted as he awoke. The woman he had shared the night with was still wrapped up in his arms, her short hair was disheveled and Takashi grinned at the small love bit that showed on her collarbone. He wasn't sure how Haruhi would feel about that when she woke up but judging by her slow and even breathing he wouldn't have to know for at least another hour or two. He nuzzled into her neck and inhaled the sweet scent of her that was only slightly marred by the sweat of the previous evenings activities. Takashi marveled at the peace he felt within himself as he laid next to th woman he loved.

"I love you, Haruhi." he whispered to her, knowing that he would receive no answer but that didn't matter to him. In this moment he was perfectly content and happy.

* * *

Well, that's the end of this chapter folks! I have not started working on the next installment but I'm hoping to at least start it later this week. I'm hoping to have the next chapter posted some time late this month or next month. I hope the end of the chapter with Takashi and Haruhi's interlude wasn't too much or too lacking. I wanted to describe them being physical without it coming off as smut and I think I achieved that. Anyway, thanks for reading!


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter 16**_

_**Trouble**_

Hikaru fell down, face first onto the bed in their hotel room and breathed a huge sigh of relief. He felt exhausted and satisfied in the same breath. He and his brother had worked so hard to make this week a success, fashion week always took so much out of him. This week they had been in Paris showcasing their new trendy designs that they had spent the better part of the last year working on.

This evening, however, they had offered to walk the runway for one of their good friends who was presenting his designs for the very first time. Since he and Kaoru were now established designers in their own right, their friend hoped his own line of clothing could benefit a bit from their publicity. It was fun for Hikaru as it had been at least two years since they had walked the runway as models together as designing clothing left little time for much else. Hikaru loved modeling and being the center of attention. He had yet to find anything that beat the rush of having every set of eyes in a room on himself; sometimes he thought that he would rather be modeling than designing.

To his dismay, Hikaru was slowly coming to the realization that design was Kaoru's passion and not his own.

A wall of steam flowed from the bathroom as Kaoru opened the door and stepped into the main living area of the room. The slim youth had a towel hanging loosely around his hips and he was using a Q-tip to clean his ears.

Hikaru looked up at his other half, a huge grin plastered across his face "Do you remember when we used to take showers together? Wasn't that fun? Why don't we do that anymore?"

Kaoru's mouth twisted down into a frown as he threw away the used cotton swab. "We are a little too old for that now, don't you think?" He made his way over to his suitcase and rummaged around until he found the pair of boxers and the sweat pants that he was searching for, they were his favorite. The fabric was soft and worn from countless uses. "Besides, you always hog the soap."

Hikaru smiled and let the insult slide as he moved to lay on his back, his amber eyes fixed on the ceiling. He heard his brother shuffle out of the room and back into the bathroom to get dressed.

The young man on the bed could not repress the frown that pulled at the corners of his mouth. Usually fashion week was his favorite time to spend with his brother but this year had been completely different. Kaoru was all business and no fun. Most days he had been moody and withdrawn, they had not attended a single party or celebration. He was barely able to contain his curiosity and wanted to know what was irritating his brother but didn't want to push him any further away than he already seemed to be.

A faint buzzing sound broke his reverie and he saw that Kaoru's phone was illuminated with the little envelope that meant a new message had been received was visible. Thinking nothing of it, Hikaru flipped open the phone to see what the message said. He assumed it was their mother, who also happened to be a famous designer, checking up on them.

Hikaru cocked an eyebrow when he read he name of the sender.

"Kyoya?" he wondered aloud, "What does he want?"

The curious twin hit the green button to open the message but his brother had entered the room and upon seeing Hikaru with his phone in his hand, he violently tore the device from his twins grasp.

Hikaru looked up into the eyes of his other half and saw an emotion there that he rarely saw.

Rage.

Kaoru's skin flushed from his face on down and he was glaring so viciously that Hikaru could barely manage to take a breath.

"What is wrong with you?!" Kaoru yelled, his teeth bared.

Hikaru blinked rapidly, trying to think of what he could say to appease his brother. He did not understand why he was so angry.

"I... I... I thought maybe it was mom. I didn't mean to upset you."

Kaoru made a noise that clearly conveyed his disgust, "Even if it was mom this is _my phone_ Hikaru and you have no right to read any of my messages! You know, I just can't understand why you think the world revolves around you." He stopped for a moment to read the message and then he snapped the phone shut. "Guess what, Hikaru? It doesn't!"

Hikaru bristled, "I-I-I've never thought that the world revolves around me but I did used to think that it revolved around us and so did you!" he stood up so that he would be on the same level as his brother. He didn't like that his position on the bed was allowing Kaoru to talk down to him. "Since when do you care that I read your messages? We have always done that. You know, we used to share everything."

He didn't dare ask the questions he wanted to: What happened? When did we start to drift apart?

After a deep breath the rage seemed to drain from his brother but Hikaru saw no warmth in his brother's eyes when Kaoru returned his gaze to him.

"Hikaru, I don't want to share everything with you anymore."

Kaoru brushed roughly past his brother and rummaged in his suitcase. He retrieved a t-shirt and hastily pulled it over his head. He didn't seem to mind that it had mussed his hair. As he turned the door knob to leave Hikaru asked where he was going.

"Out." he said, punctuating the statement by slamming the door.

Hikaru stood in stunned silence and though he tried he couldn't manage to calm his frantic breathing and his heart clenched painfully in his chest. He was frightened because he had seen the distance and indifference in his brother's eyes. For the first time in their lives he feared he may have done something that Kaoru couldn't forgive and he knew why. It was not his intention to pry, he truly had not given it a second thought when he opened his brother's phone, he had done it countless times in the past. Yet, there was something else, something that made the blood run cold in his veins. He had briefly been able to read the first line of the message. It read, "You will pay for that."

After their years together in the host club, Hikaru was not nearly as frightened of Kyoya as he used to be but the threat sounded ominous. What had Kaoru done? Was he in some kind of trouble? Why wouldn't he let him help?

He buried his head in his hands and groaned.

* * *

Haruhi stretched her limbs, a gesture that symbolized both her exhaustion and her victory. She had just completed her last exam and she was officially on spring break. The petite girl gathered up her books in her bag and made her way out of the building. She walked slowly across the campus enjoying the sounds of the birds chirping and the warm sunshine on her face. The breeze still held a bit of a chill, the faint remnants of winter were still trying to cling to the air but it was futile. She was lucky that the walk was so enjoyable since her destination was clear on the other side of the campus. Haruhi let her mind wander as she made her way towards the dojo and she was a little disturbed to find that once again her thoughts had turned to Katsu.

It had been a while since she had last seen him storming away from her at the hotel in Tokyo. She could still see the anger that twisted his attractive face into something so unfamiliar and ugly. She could still hear his voice, cold and hard, as he said goodbye to her. She knew that she should not be affected by those events because she had been honest when she told him that she did not have romantic feelings for him. She had not lied to him or given him false hope but she truly had wanted to get to know Katsu better. Haruhi had desired his friendship, unfortunately his desire was for something more than she could give. She wondered what he was doing now and she hoped that he was happy.

Haruhi could see the kendo students streaming out of the dojo. She had stopped attending classes after Takashi had returned from Tokyo. She had finally convinced him that she needed to spend more time studying for her law classes and he had eventually conceded to her request, though she suspected he did so grudgingly. Typical of Takashi, he did not voice his disapproval and if he wasn't going to that was fine with Haruhi.

When she arrived at her destination she stopped to remove her shoes before entering the dojo and set her bag on the floor on the far wall. Only a few students were left wandering about the room, gathering their belongings and wishing everyone a happy holiday. The girls brown eyes settled on the one she was searching for, Takashi had a piece of paper in his hand and his eye brows were knitted together on his forehead in concentration.

She moved towards him slowly and it only took a moment for the young man to notice her. In one fluid motion he folded the piece of paper and placed it in his pocket.

"I think I did really well on that last exam! Thanks for helping me study."

The corners of the man's mouth turned up ever so slightly, he had hardly helped her study. More accurately, he had just quietly sat around her apartment while she painstakingly took notes and read, then reread chapter upon chapter. Takashi was no stranger to academics and he was close to the top of his class but he was always impressed by Haruhi's diligence and dedication. She had a goal and was willing to do whatever was necessary to achieve her goal and he found that quality of her persona endearing and admirable.

Haruhi smiled back at her boyfriend, "Oh! Can we stop at my place before we head up to Misuzu's pension? My bags are all packed but I think I may have forgotten my toothbrush." she admitted sheepishly.

Takashi nodded and though it didn't show on his face he really was excited to spend the next few days with Haruhi away from school and their friends. This was their first trip out of town as a couple and he wanted it to be special, nothing over the top but he wanted to show Haruhi that he could have a good time. Due to exams and his rigorous schedule at the dojo they hardly had any time to themselves to enjoy each others time.

He took her small hand in his as they made their way to the parking lot, his mind racing over the contents of the letter he had received. The letter had been from Katsu and though the message had not been threatening in any manner he could not understand why someone who claimed to hold hatred for him would reach out to him. He requested a meeting with him at his earliest convenience and gave no indication in regards to what the meeting would entail. Takashi did not want to tell Haruhi any of this just yet, he wanted to try to figure out what was going on before he brought any of this to her attention.

Takashi had always considered himself a good judge of character but Katsu was a mystery to him. He knew, somewhere deep inside of Katsu that he was conflicted and it went deeper than just his imaginative rivalry with himself. There was an underlying issue that ate away at that man's soul and Takashi was willing to help if he could but he did not know if it was wise to trust him.

"Is everything alright?" Haruhi questioned as they reached the car. She had asked him the question twice and he had not responded. Her fingertips barely grazed his forearm as she reached out to him and that finally seemed to get his attention.

The tall youth nodded, "Nothing to worry about."

Haruhi nodded though she suspected that Takashi was being less than truthful. She was a bit surprised by how much that bothered her. She never would have imagined that Takashi would lie to her though she wasn't sure that she could categorize it as lying. He merely withheld information from her. With Tamaki, she would have done just about anything to keep him as quiet as Takashi was but with Takashi she came to find that it bothered her.

An hour later the car was packed and they were on their way to spend the next few days together, alone. Takashi felt heat rise on his cheeks at the thought and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He knew it was ludicrous to be anxious about this weekend. They had spent multiple nights in each other's company since they had first made love, it was nothing new, yet this trip felt like something special. He felt like it was a turning point in their relationship but he was not entirely sure what that turning point would entail. After all, he had never been with someone for as long as he had been with Haruhi.

Takashi looked at Haruhi from the corner of his eyes and he was caught off guard by how peaceful she looked. The sun was beginning to set, she had her window down and her hair was swirling around her face. The shadows and orange light danced across her cheekbones and a pleasant smile rested upon her lips. Often Takashi felt lucky to be in the presence of Haruhi but seeing her like this, relaxed and content, seemingly without a care made him happy.

When they finally arrived at their destination it was late in the evening, the stars had long since arrived in the sky to play until the sun came again to chase them away. Haruhi rubbed ineffectually at her eyes and though she hated to admit it, she was exhausted. Normal people her age would be able to stay awake until the wee hours of the morning but her last exam had been difficult and she needed to rest. She braced herself for the barrage of love and hugs that she was sure to receive from Misuzu. She hoped, with some guilt, that it wouldn't last long and they could just get to bed.

The reunion with Misuzu was enthusiastic but luckily short lived. Just moments after arriving and exchanging a few pleasantry's another guest had an emergency in one of their rooms. The two made their way up the grand staircase and settled into their room, neither bothered to unpack anything. Haruhi quickly readied herself for bed and was all snuggled in before Takashi had even gotten the chance to brush his teeth. Though he was not exactly ready to turn in for the night, he did so anyway as he didn't want to waste a moment of their time together. He slipped into the sheets and she quickly laid her head on his chest and wrapped her small arms around his waist. He kissed the top of her head and ran his finger through her soft hair. A minute or two passed like this and soon he could feel her deep and even breath fan across his chest and he knew without looking that she was already asleep. He smiled in the dark and closed his eyes. They would have some fun tomorrow, of that he was sure.

* * *

It was another lively day in the hospital because the beautiful blonde boy from a few days ago had reappeared! The nurses were busy chattering to each other about who he was since he was so handsome and mysterious.

Tamaki wandered around for several minutes before realizing he had absolutely no idea where he was headed and that he was hopelessly lost. The only reason he had even found the pair the last time was because he had followed that ethereal voice, she had called to him, he swore it. The blonde boy stopped at one of the nurses stations and he watched her eyes go wide as she took him in. He could not quell the smile that blossomed on his face. No matter how many times people had that exact reaction to him, it was still flattering and he did not care if it was superficial and shallow to feel that way.

"Uhh..." the woman stammered, stunned. "Can I help you with something?"

Tamaki smiled warmly at the older woman. She was easily in her 50s, age was written all over her face in the fine lines and wrinkles he saw there. She was slightly overweight and judging by the state of her hair he knew she had not cared much about her appearance in quite some time. He decided to lay on the charm a bit thick for this one for her benefit and to see if all he learned in the host club was still valid.

Tamaki flicked some of the blonde strands from his eyes so that he could cast their full effect on her, "Good day, Madam! I am here to visit with some friends of mine and I have somehow gotten myself hopelessly lost!" he exclaimed loudly and enthusiastically. He took one of her hands in both of his, "Would you be ever so kind as to help me locate them?"

The older woman blushed furiously and began to fan herself with her free hand. "Of course! Who are you looking for, sweetheart? I'll take you to them myself!"

The boy let go of an exaggerated sigh "I'm looking for Daisuke. I believe he's in the children's ward somewhere."

The woman smiled, "Oh yes, Daisuke-kun. He's such a sweet boy. It's a shame he's so sick. Such a gentle soul, he has."

Tamaki simply nodded and allowed the woman to lead the way. After twisting and turning through multiple hallways he was glad that he had finally asked for help because he never would have come across this room on his own. He thanked the nurse profusely for her help and he made a mental note of the room and floor number so that if he were to return he could, hopefully, find it without difficulty.

He peered into the room and was surprised to see that there was no one present. His heart clenched in his chest in a fit of panic but he quickly calmed down. If something had happened to Daisuke, surely the nurse would have informed him before bringing him to this room. He stood awkwardly in the doorway, not sure what to do now that he was here and no one else seemed to be. Should he wait until they returned? Even if he did, what did he really intend to do? He wanted to help but he wasn't sure how and he didn't even know them. It would be strange for him to just show up unannounced and talk to them.

Tamaki silently chastised himself and as he turned to leave he collided into someone.

He was stunned momentarily but when his eyes were finally able to focus again he saw Ren standing there before him. Her own eyes were wide with curiosity.

"Excuse me, can I help you?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

He opened and closed his mouth several times before he was able to speak, "I'm sorry... I was just here to visit with Daisuke-kun."

She tilted her head to one side, studying him with such intensity that he had to struggle not to squirm beneath her gaze. He saw the moment that recognition finally sparked in her eyes and he instantly calmed.

"Oh! Oh, you're Ootori-san's friend aren't you?"

Tamaki nodded, "Yes! I'm very sorry for showing up unannounced but I had some time in my schedule and thought maybe I could be of some assistance."

Ren smiled, "I'm not sure what you could do to help but you're more than welcome to wait for Daisuke. The doctors had to run a few more tests and a bit of blood work on him but he should be back soon. Come on in."

She took a seat and gestured to the chair on the opposite side of the hospital bed. Tamaki took the seat quickly and sat very straight and very still. He said nothing and as the uncomfortable silence stretched on he scrambled to think of something to say.

Ren cleared her throat and broke the silence. "I don't think we were properly introduced the last time you were here. I'm Ren Tsukino. I'm sorry but I don't recall your name."

Tamaki laughed nervously, "My apologies. I'm Tamaki Suou. It's a pleasure to meet you Ren."

"It's nice to meet you too." she replied, still studying him intently.

"Do you often come to visit Ootori-san, Tamaki-san?" she asked.

Tamaki shook his head, "No, he doesn't allow me in the hospital very much. He thinks I'm a nuisance."

Ren laughed quietly at that, "Why would he think that?"

"I don't know. Kyoya has always been mean to me but he's my best friend." he remarked flippantly.

"I used to have friends... but then Daisuke got sick. All my friends wanted to go out and chase boys but I couldn't do that. They didn't stick around long after they realized I wouldn't be any fun."

"No one has ever offered to help you?" Tamaki questioned.

Ren shook her head, "No, but what could they do? I'm not even sure that I'm being much help to Daisuke. I just want him to get well so badly." she said earnestly.

Tamaki's heart sank a little to see Ren look so upset. He leaned forward to speak, to offer his help, when the doctor returned with Daisuke. He wheeled the young boy in a wheelchair and Tamaki thought the boy looked a bit healthier than the last time he saw him.

Daisuke eyed Tamaki carefully, "You're Ootori-san's friend, right?" he asked.

Tamaki nodded and smiled, he found it amusing that his sister had said those words to him just minutes earlier.

Ren and the doctor helped Daisuke get settled into his bed and then the doctor left, leaving the three acquaintances in the room alone.

Ren was looking expectantly at Tamaki perhaps wondering if he had any intention of carrying on their conversation.

Tamaki flushed under her gaze, he wasn't sure what to say and he was beginning to forget why he had even come here.

He cleared his throat and stood, "Well, I guess I'll be leaving then."

"So soon?" Ren asked. She stood and moved closer to Tamaki. She couldn't help but notice the tentative step back that he took when she approached.

"Yes, I have to be going but I can stop by again sometime if you like."

Ren smiled, "Yes, we would like that. See you later, Suou-san."

Tamaki nodded once then left and as he made his way down the hospital corridors he could feel the blush across his cheeks flare furiously. A few of the nurses whispered behind their hands as he passed and he did his best to ignore them. He didn't know why he bothered to come here. Ren was right, even if people did want to help her and Daisuke-kun, what could they do? If he had any intention of helping he would need to come up with a plan.

The tall blondes uncharacteristic despondent thoughts did not last long. Already he was constructing an elaborate plan in his head to help Ren and Daisuke.

Across town, a chill went down the spine of Kyoya Ootori though he did not know why.

PAGE BREAK

Takashi rose later in the morning than he was used to judging by the amount of sunlight that was flooding their suite. He was used to getting up early to train for kendo or to go for a run but this was technically his and Haruhi's vacation so he could take some time away from his routine for now. He rolled over his arm outstretched and was puzzled find the other side of the bed was cold and empty. It took him a few moments to process that Haruhi wasn't in bed. In fact, it appeared that she wasn't even in their room. In the past, her absence may have sent him into a panic but he was slowly beginning to accept Haruhi for the independent woman that she was. He didn't want to smother her. She was used to being on her own and handling her business by herself and he had come to respect that. He suspected that she had woken before him and wanted some breakfast or maybe desired some time to catch up with Mizusu.

The tall youth took his time with his morning routine, he was in no rush and he was taking this moment to relish in the peaceful quiet. After dressing he made his way down the sweeping stairs of the pension and into the main area where meals were served. His eyes scanned the room for Haruhi but he was unable to locate her. As he walked through the room he grabbed an apple to eat while he continued to search for Haruhi. After a half an hour of futile searching he was beginning to worry. He had checked the parlor, the garden and their suite again just to be sure that he had not missed her in passing and he was still unable to find her.

Finally he made his way to the kitchens of the pension and he saw her, helping Misuzu peel apples. Judging by the flour littering their work space it looked as though they were baking pies together. He debated on whether or not he should interrupt them but Haruhi was smiling and seemed at ease in Misuzu's company. She appeared to be enjoying herself with Misuzu so he left the two to talk or gossip or do whatever it was that needed to be done. He would wait for her to finish up and then they could go for a walk or have tea and cakes out on the patio.

As he was turning to leave one of Misuzu's high pitched chortles stopped him, "Now Haruhi, why don't you tell me what happened between you and Tamaki-kun? He was such a sweet boy, I thought you two were really in love."

Takashi knew he should just walk away now, this was none of his business and eavesdropping was rude. He willed his legs to move, to take him away from this conversation but they would not bend to his will, he stayed rooted to the spot.

Haruhi sighed heavily, not really wanting to have this discussion but she felt compelled to answer.

"We were for a while but Tamaki has to learn to take care of himself. His upbringing was so unusual, he has no concept of responsibility and our relationship started to feel like a chore. I wanted to be with him but what I wanted was a relationship with another adult and unfortunately, Tamaki didn't seem to be capable of that. More often than not I felt that I was taking care of a child and you and I both know that I did enough of that with Dad."

Mizusu nodded, her eyes closed as if she were deep in thought, "I understand that Haruhi but that is why I thought you were such a great pair. You balanced each other! You encouraged in each other what you could not do for yourselves. You could see in Tamaki-kun's eyes that he really loved you. Maybe you should have been a bit more lenient with him?"

Haruhi allowed Mizusu's words to sink in. It was true, Tamaki had introduced her to so many new experiences and forced her to see the world in a different light. Tamaki's enthusiasm for everything was a light that was brighter than she ever could have imagined possible and for that she would always be grateful. She had loved Tamaki in a way that she couldn't properly express with words but that was gone now. She still felt fondly for Tamaki but the love she had found with Takashi was more natural, effortless and simple.

"Now, now Haruhi! Don't look so upset. I think Takashi-kun if a fine young man. He's strong and quiet but I have always imagined you with someone whose personality shined a bit brighter, that's all."

Takashi stood outside the door and after a moment he gasped for air, he had not realized that he had stopped breathing. Did everyone think the way Mizusu did? Takashi had long thought that Haruhi was more suited to someone who could lavish her with the words she needed to hear and the attentions he knew that she so richly deserved but she had chosen him. He didn't want to undermine her judgment and he was grateful that she had chosen to be with him but if everyone else but Haruhi thought this way maybe her decision had been incorrect. Maybe he wasn't the right person for Haruhi to be in a relationship with.

He shook his head, willing away the thoughts that were now threatening to take root in his mind. Slowly he made his way across the room and out the front door. He needed some air and he needed to put some space between he and the conversation he had overheard. For months before he and Haruhi had gotten together he had battled with the thought that she could not possibly be happy with someone like him. Then inexplicably she had chosen to be with him, despite those thoughts and despite what he considered to be true.

As he made his way down the road he passed by many smiling and happy couples that were walking hand in hand and he felt jealousy roil bitterly in his stomach. That was what he had intended to do with Haruhi this morning but what he had overheard had changed his mood considerably. He deserved to be happy, didn't he? Certainly Haruhi wouldn't entertain a relationship with him if it wasn't truly what she wanted; at least that was what he hoped. As he continued to walk he did his best to quiet his thoughts. Instead he indulged in an exercise he often used as a child, he focused on the sound of the soft wind moving through the trees, the heat of the sun on his skin and the smell of the crisp air.

An hour of so later Takashi was feeling calmer and more confident than he had minutes earlier. He had decided that it did him no good to dwell silently about his feeling, he should bring his concerns to Haruhi's attention and see how she really felt about the situation. At least then he could be clear about where they both stood. He didn't want to be blind sided the way Tamaki had been when Haruhi had decided to end the relationship that they had. If she was unhappy with him he wanted to know, he wanted to at least have a chance to try to mend things if they were broken.

Walking through the white washed fence in front of the pension he saw Haruhi sitting on the front steps her chin resting on her raised fists. She looked utterly bored and he felt a twinge of guilt for leaving her by herself but he hadn't known how long she and Misuzu would be talking and he certainly didn't want to interrupt after what he had overheard.

The brown eyed girl looked up as he approached and he noted the firm set of her jaw. He could not tell why but he feared she was upset.

"There you are." she said after a heavy sigh of exasperation. "I went back to our room and you weren't there. I looked everywhere for you."

Takashi wanted to laugh, he had spent the better part of this morning doing the same thing but he kept that to himself. "Just went for a walk."

Haruhi's eyes narrowed just a bit as if she didn't believe what he was telling her but she had no reason not to trust him so she let her uneasy feelings fall by the wayside.

She rolled her shoulders in an attempt to shake off the tension she felt collecting there, "Well, what should we do first?" she asked, hoping that Takashi was in a better mood than she happened to be.

The tall man thought for a moment. He really had not given much thought about what they should do once they were here. He was only decent at tactical planning, not practical planning. After a few minutes he finally opened his mouth to speak, "Why don't we head into town? We could have lunch at one of the cafe's if you like. Maybe do some shopping?" he offered, hoping that any of this would entice Haruhi or make her happy.

"Sure, if that's what you want to do." she agreed.

Takashi's shoulders slumped because her response made it clear that she wasn't really interested in what he suggested but he really didn't have much else to go on. He hoped that a carefree afternoon of relaxing would put them both in better spirits.

The early afternoon sun beat down on the mismatched couple as they walked through the streets and past all the merchants selling their wares. Haruhi picked out a souvenir for her father, a deep green scarf with purple flowers embroidered on it. Takashi wondered if he should pick out a few things for his own parents and Satoshi as well; he already knew for certain he would find something to bring back to Mitsukuni.

In one of the shops he found a cookbook filled with recipes for sweets but he doubted that Mitsukuni would actually take the time to make any of them himself. When did shopping for his best friend become so hard?

In the end he settled on a bag of assorted candies from one of the local sweets shops. He could not remember if Mitsukuni had been able to sample their confections on their last trip.

He and Haruhi stopped and ate lunch at one of the cafe's that had outdoor seating complete with brightly colored umbrellas and bistro tables. The afternoon was pleasantly warm but Takashi found himself shivering at intervals in response to Haruhi's distant demeanor. Silence was a good friend of his but this wasn't the comfortable silence he was used to sharing with his girlfriend.

He cleared his throat, not entirely sure how to go about this. "Haruhi? Is something the matter?"

Haruhi looked up from her plate, she had been diligently pushing her food around on it the entire time.

"Nothing in particular." she responded without looking up from her plate.

Takashi was just barely able to overcome the childish urge to sigh loudly. It was a blatant lie and he was surprised that it annoyed him as much as it did.

Was she dwelling on what Misuzu had mentioned to her earlier? Was she currently questioning their relationship? Why wouldn't she confide in him?

They finished their meal as more strained silence settled between them. Takashi didn't bother to ask Haruhi what she was interested in doing next, instead he paid the bill and began walking back to the pension with Haruhi falling into step close behind him. When they reached their destination they ended up heading in different directions. Takashi stopped as he realized he was heading in the direction of the garden while Haruhi appeared to be heading towards their room. He met her gaze and she weakly mumbled something about having a headache and said she wanted to lay down for a while. He nodded and continued on his way to the garden.

As he sat in the garden in the dying light of the day he wondered if he should start preparing himself for the end of his relationship with the only woman he had ever loved.

* * *

I'm so sorry for publishing this chapter so late. I don't have any excuse. I've recently found I have had more free time lately so I do plan to update this story again and I will eventually finish it. I can't promise that I will update with any regularity but as I finish chapters I will be sure to post them. Thanks for reading!


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